New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli discovered that management issues led to delays in providing permanent housing for individuals.
New York City’s rental aid program, City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS), has faced challenges that hinder individuals from transitioning out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing, as per a recent state audit report. The audit identified systemic irregularities in the program’s administration, causing delays in aid payments to landlords and documentation for shelter residents seeking apartments. Additionally, inaccuracies in classifying individuals as having exited the shelter system were noted.
The audit, conducted by the New York State comptroller’s office, revealed that households waited an average of 10 months to qualify for CityFHEPS assistance. Unlike federal Section 8 vouchers, CityFHEPS operates similarly by covering a portion of tenants’ rent based on their income, with the city funding the remainder. Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli emphasized the need for the city’s Department of Social Services to enhance program management to address these issues and provide effective rental assistance amid New York’s housing affordability crisis.
City officials disputed the audit’s findings, attributing the reported problems to isolated incidents. They highlighted the program’s success in assisting over 13,000 households in securing apartments with vouchers in the fiscal year ending in June, a significant increase from approximately 7,000 households assisted three years prior.
Source: The NY Times
