CITY, STATE MUST IMPROVE ACCESS TO HOUSING VOUCHERS TO FIGHT HOUSING CRISIS, NEW REPORT FINDS

HOUSING MORE NEW YORKERS identifies more than two dozen solutions for improving housing voucher programs in NYC, including ways to address administrative delays, challenges with technology and personnel, issues with payment standards, source of income discrimination, and inefficiencies with the affordable housing lottery.

NEW YORK, NY –Women In Need (Win) and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) today released HOUSING MORE NEW YORKERS, a comprehensive policy paper on improving housing voucher programs in New York City. The paper highlights specific inefficiencies in the process of securing and administering housing vouchers, data on demand for and issuance of vouchers, and dozens of policy, technology and administrative recommendations to help housing voucher programs run more efficiently and house more New Yorkers statewide.

Download the full paper here.

"Our state is in the throes of a housing crisis,” said Christine Quinn, CEO & President of Win. “With over 150,000 people without a home, and more than 175,000 households at risk of eviction it’s clear that we need actionable solutions now – and housing vouchers are one of the most effective tools we have against homelessness. With these recommendations, we can ensure quicker and more reliable access to housing across the state.”

“Housing voucher programs are important policy tools to prevent homelessness and stabilize our economy,” said REBNY President James Whelan. “Our members are committed to making sure significant public investments in these programs are efficiently administered and delivered to those in need.”

Voucher programs are a proven policy solution against homelessness, only 0.3% of families who exit the City's homeless shelters with a rental subsidy re-enter shelter within a year, compared to the 15.2% of families without subsidies. Housing vouchers are also a cost-saving measure when compared to shelter stays. A report released by Mayor Adams reveals that it costs the city over $8,700 per month in 2022 to house a family of two in shelter. Alternatively, a CityFHEPS voucher to house this family would cost a maximum of $2,387 or less per month, which equates to more than $75,000 in savings per family per year.

To house the 150,000 New Yorkers without a home and more than 175,000 households at risk of eviction and homelessness across New York State, Housing More New Yorkers recommends that policy changes must be made to reform voucher programs by:

• Reducing delays that prevent voucher holders from securing housing.

• Eliminating confusion and inconsistencies regarding voucher programs.

• Moving past outdated processes and utilize a digital portal to improve the process.

• Enhancing outreach and coordination to prevent source-of-income discrimination.

• Streamlining the City’s affordable housing lottery to get voucher holders into new units faster.

On the local City level, the City Council and City agencies could immediately improve the process of securing and administering housing vouchers by doing the following:

• Requiring program mapping and reporting data on the success rate of voucher holders entering housing.

• Updating inspection processes.

• Requiring that each voucher program make a voucher holder checklist accessible that clearly communicates all the necessary paperwork to the recipient.

• Passing clarifying legislation to ensure that the dollar amount on the voucher presented at the time of the application is honored.

• Expanding HPD funding for combatting source of income discrimination.

• Streamlining housing lottery regulations and eliminating duplicative or contradictory guidance to ease administrative burden.

Win and REBNY are committed to remedying challenges with housing voucher programs in New York City and hope to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders in this effort. As support grows for the solutions identified in HOUSING MORE NEW YORKERS, Win and REBNY will provide updates to members and the general public.

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ABOUT WOMEN IN NEED

Win is the largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing in the nation, operating 15 family shelters and 9 supportive housing facilities across New York City, as well as more than 100 supportive housing units in the Bronx and Brooklyn. In the past year, Win served nearly 9,200 currently or formerly homeless people – including more than 5,000 children – helping them to break the cycle of homelessness. Housing instability can stymie a child’s healthy socio-emotional and cognitive development, with implications for mental health, behavioral health, and success in life. Through Camp Win, an immersive summer-long program, and other programming, Win works to provide a safe, engaging environment for children in shelter.

ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE BOARD OF NEW YORK

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) is the City’s leading real estate trade association. Founded in 1896, REBNY represents commercial, residential, and institutional property owners, builders, managers, investors, brokers, and salespeople; banks, financial service companies, utilities, attorneys, architects, and contractors; corporations, co-partnerships, and individuals professionally interested in New York City real estate. REBNY conducts research on various civic matters including tax policy, city planning and zoning, rental conditions, land use policy, building codes, and other city, state, and federal legislation. REBNY regularly publishes market data, policy reports, and broker surveys. In addition, REBNY provides for its members: informational, technical, and technological resources; networking and charitable service opportunities; qualifying and continuing education courses; professional education programs, seminars, and designations; career-changing awards; legal advice; and a wide range of additional member benefits. For more information, please visit www.rebny.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julia Roach

jroach@skdknick.com

(914) 705-3706

Chris Santarelli

press@rebny.com

(212) 616-5249