NYHC testified at the New York City Council Committee on Public Housing’s oversight hearing on Life without Emergency Housing Vouchers: Present Options and Future Plans. Read our full testimony here.
We are concerned about the status of New Yorkers that received EHVs, especially the 5,100 households that had received EHV though NYHCA. Without a new form of support, they are at-risk of losing their housing and becoming homeless.
We understand that the state and city did not create this problem – that the federal government abruptly ended this program that is crucial for keeping very vulnerable people housed – including survivors of domestic violence, youth aging out of foster care. And we appreciate that the city and state are working to find solutions for the people that received EHVs through HCR, HPD, and NYCHA.
We are grateful that the city and state are identifying other federal funding sources such as HOME-ARP (serving all HPD-issued EHV households and 1700 NYCHA-issued EHV households) as well as HASA and vacancies in PACT and public housing.
But it’s still unclear to us how many households – though it is likely not all households – will be able to move into PACT and public housing.
We urge the City to identify additional rental assistance supports to help households remain in place. We strongly support City Council Resolution 495, calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.10992/S.9430-A to ensure that families at risk of losing their EHVs are eligible for the state funded Housing Access Voucher Program.
In addition, we strongly encourage the City to extend CityFHEPS eligibility to NYCHA EHV families and fund it in the FY 2027 Budget. While the City has made some progress on aiding EHV households, it is imperative that solutions protect and keep all EHV households stably housed.