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Council Member Crystal Hudson's opening remarks on NYC Department for the Aging budget hearing
2:44:41
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4 min
Council Member Crystal Hudson, chair of the committee on aging, delivers opening remarks for the hearing on the executive financial plan for the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging). She highlights the challenges faced by older adults and the provider network, acknowledges the increase in the agency's budget, but emphasizes that more funding is needed to adequately serve the city's older adult population.
- NYC Aging's FY2026 executive budget is $554.4 million, an increase of $128.3 million from the preliminary budget, but still less than 0.5% of the city's overall budget.
- The capital commitment plan totals $85.1 million for FY2025-2029, which Hudson deems insufficient for addressing infrastructure needs of over 300 older adult centers and NORCs.
- Hudson calls for enhanced funding for both expense and capital sides to improve services for the city's 1.8 million older adults.
Crystal Hudson
2:44:41
Thank you so much, chair Brannan, and good afternoon.
2:44:46
My name is Crystal Hudson, I serve as chair of the committee on aging.
2:44:50
Welcome to the committee's hearing on the executive plan excuse me.
2:44:55
Executive financial plan for the New York City Department for the Aging, known as NYC Aging.
2:44:59
Thank you also, and again, to commissioner Cortez Vazquez for joining us.
2:45:04
Following testimony and I wanna acknowledge that we've also been joined by council member Brooks Powers.
2:45:09
Following testimony and questions with NYC Aging, we'll hear testimony from the public at approximately 2PM for both committees.
2:45:16
Thank you to those older adult advocates and community members who've joined us today.
2:45:20
I'll keep my comments here brief and request that the commissioner keep her oral testimony brief as well so we can move on to questions from council members.
2:45:27
Older adults and the older adult provider network have faced unprecedented challenges in the past few years as the city has moved forward from the pandemic.
2:45:35
These challenges are compounded by agency budgetary constraints as well as inflation and an ever increasing cost of living.
2:45:42
NYC Aging has a critical role to play in assessing and meeting the needs of older adults in our city.
2:45:48
By collaborating with the provider network and the council, the agency can harness best practices and scale innovative approaches to best serve our city's older adult population.
2:45:56
NYC Aging's fiscal twenty twenty six executive budget is $554,400,000, which is thankfully $128,300,000 more than the fiscal twenty twenty six preliminary budget.
2:46:10
The council and I were very happy to see the budget gap at NYC Aging addressed in the executive plan.
2:46:15
The additional funding is needed to support vital programs for older adults across the city.
2:46:20
Although this increase was welcomed news, it does not provide the agency with the funding needed to appropriately provide for the city's older adults.
2:46:27
NYC Aging's client population comprises nearly one fifth of the city's population, yet its budget remains less than one half of 1% of the city's overall budget.
2:46:37
The executive plan includes three new needs for NYC aging totaling $19,700,000 in fiscal twenty twenty five, '1 hundred '3 point '2 million dollars in fiscal twenty twenty six, and $75,000,000 in the out years.
2:46:50
These funds are allocated for indirect cost rates, case management, and older adult services.
2:46:55
The plan also includes a PEG restoration of $23,000,000 in fiscal twenty twenty six and $37,700,000 in the out years to restore several OAC PEGs, which together with the new needs increases the agency's fiscal twenty twenty six baseline budget to the fiscal twenty twenty five funding level.
2:47:14
Although this is great to see, vital investments are still needed to enhance funding for the provider network on both the expense and capital sides in order to improve the level and quality of services required to meet the needs of the city's older adult population.
2:47:26
NYC Aging's capital commitment plan, the smallest of any of any city agency, totals $85,100,000 across fiscal twenty twenty five through 2029.
2:47:37
With over 300 older adult centers and NORCs now in the NYC aging network, this funding is insufficient to properly address all infrastructure needs.
2:47:45
The agency's capital program should be enhanced to provide for critical needs, including refurbishing centers, upgrading kitchens, and connecting older adults to much needed technology and resources.
2:47:54
In the fiscal twenty twenty six preliminary budget response, the council called on the administration to add $50,000,000 to NYC Aging's capital budget, but, fortunately, no additional funding has been added to fulfill the council's proposal.
2:48:07
In today's hearing, we would like to get a deeper understanding of NYC Aging's expense budget, its capital plan, the impact of newly added funding, and the future of key agency services and programs, including case management, home delivered meals, and older center programs.
2:48:22
As we move towards adoption of the fiscal twenty twenty six budget, I look forward to working collaboratively with providers and the administration to help the agency appropriately provide for the city's 1,800,000 older adults.
2:48:33
I'd like to thank the committee staff who have helped prepare this hearing, Samuel Hamid, financial analyst, Julia Hiramis, unit head, Christopher Pepe, senior legislative counsel, Chloe Rivera, senior policy analyst, and my chief of staff, Andrew Wright, and all the other dedicated staff.
2:48:47
Thank you.