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Q&A

Chair Avilés Questions Planning for Federal Clawbacks and Reserves

New York City Council · May 28, 2026 · starts 5:07:36 · 1 min 46 sec

Chair Alexa Avilés asks how MOIA is planning for potential federal clawbacks of legal service funding and whether any emergency budget reserves exist.

Luisa Linares

That would be very helpful.

Luisa Linares

Thank you for that.

Luisa Linares

And and do you know of any of this new funding will be allocated directly to vendors?

Luisa Linares

All of it.

Luisa Linares

All of it?

Luisa Linares

Perfect.

Luisa Linares

And have you thought about, and I'm sure you have thought about this, so that was that part is rhetorical.

Luisa Linares

Uh, but how are you thinking about and planning for potential federal clawbacks of legal service funding or restrictions on who can be served?

Luisa Linares

Yeah, it's one of the things that keeps you up at night.

Luisa Linares

Um, but I think it's really important to highlight that our legal services are funded by the city, uh, which shields them from direct federal clawbacks.

Luisa Linares

However, we are actively you know tracking what the what can be trickle-down effects from federal funding cuts and restrictions on on whom our organizations and providers can serve.

Luisa Linares

We remain, um, like I said, in in close communication with our agency partners regarding federal policy changes and any threats to accessing services.

Luisa Linares

Um, specifically, we've been talking to our partners and agencies around the mixed uh status rule change that's being proposed by HUD.

Luisa Linares

Um, and and of course, you know, staying in close communication with our providers who they flag uh you know emerging issues that they see on the ground regularly.

Luisa Linares

Do you know if there would be like budget reserves for those kind of emergency situations or something that would happen, you know, it could be overnight with this federal administration.

Luisa Linares

Um are there any kind of reserves specifically for uh Moya?

Luisa Linares

Yeah, that's that's something that I would have to circle back with you on.

Luisa Linares

I'm I'm unsure.

Luisa Linares

Okay.