Chair Hudson previews five CityFHEPS reform bills
Hudson explains applicants and landlords face pain points accessing CityFHEPS. She previews Intros 98, 100, 101, 641, and T2026-1424, covering inspections, lease-up data, response times, payment timing, and a landlord portal.
But the program is only valuable if people can actually access it.
To do so, New Yorkers applying for City FEPS need to be able to understand where their applications for assistance stand.
They need to be able to find eligible apartments, move into safe and habitable homes, and receive their rental assistance.
assistance payments reliably and on time.
Landlords participating in rental assistance programs also need to be able to navigate the CityFEP's landscape.
Unfortunately, there are pain points at each of these stages that block New Yorkers who really need the assistance from benefiting from it.
The five pieces of legislation we're hearing today attempt to remove these roadblocks.
Intro numbers 98, 100, and 101 are sponsored by my colleague, Councilmember Gail Brewer.
Intro number 98 is about ensuring apartments are safe before city FEPS assistance is used towards rent.
While also balancing the need for move-ins to happen as efficiently as possible.
Intro number 100 would require the Department of Social Services, or DSS, to report the average time it takes for an individual to secure housing after receiving a shopping letter, a document issued by DSS that applicants use while searching for an eligible apartment.
Intro number 101 focuses on the time it takes DSS to respond to an application for a CityFEPS voucher.
Councilmember Brewer may give a statement later about her legislation.
Intro number 641, sponsored by Councilmember Ressler, addresses the timing of rental assistance payments.
This bill would require that DSS make CityFEP's rental assistance payments no later than seven days before the first day of the month to which the payment applies.
Timely payments are important not only for tenants, but also for landlords who participate in the program.
Payment delays can create uncertainty for both sides and can undermine the stability CityFEP is intended to provide.
He also may give a statement later.
Finally, pre-considered intro number T2026-1424, sponsored by Councilmember Murano,
seeks to make the CityFEPS process smoother for landlords by requiring DSS to administer an online portal for landlords who participate in rental subsidy programs.
He also may make a statement later.
I look forward to hearing from the administration and the public about these proposals.