Chair Zhuang on SCRIE awareness gaps and enrollment barriers
Zhuang notes many eligible older New Yorkers are unaware of SCRIE, cites burdensome documentation requirements and income eligibility ceilings as drivers of under-enrollment, and outlines goals for understanding agency outreach across cultural, linguistic, and disability communities.
While programs like SCRI exist, they are only effective if people know about them.
Many eligible older New Yorkers are unaware of this program.
This city needs to do better at assuring everyone has access
to the benefit that they are entitled to.
Beyond awareness, this program also run more efficiently and impactfully if specific changes were made to improve the program.
There are many barriers to
enroll and utilize of those programs.
For example, providing certain documents in order to complete application for SCRI can be overly burdensome.
And the income eligibility ceiling in the rent freeze program also central
driver of under in arrangement in the program.
Today we want to have a better understanding of how the New York City Department of Aging, NYC Department of Finance, NYC Aging and the Department of Housing Prevention and Development
preservation and development and the mayor's office of people with disabilities conduct research to ensure seniors across all culture, ethnic backgrounds, those who live with disabilities,
those who are limited English proficiency, and those who may not have access to internet gain information about screen and the dream.
We also want to understand how the city is using the data we have at our disposal to ensure those who are eligible for those benefits are actually enrolled in them.
This is our understanding that programs are underutilized.
We must work to change that.
We also want to call on our state counterpart to make changes to screen the dream to ensure more property owners to participate in this program.