City Council Approves Expansion of Housing Rental Voucher Program Despite Mayor’s Opposition

In the midst of an unprecedented crisis in the city’s shelter system due to the number of newly arrived migrants in New York City, the City Council approved the expansion of the housing rental voucher program known as CityFheps.

“We can respond to this crisis in a dignified manner and with respect for all. So, we are demanding to the mayor that we need a comprehensive plan, first we have a housing system that is completely full because the situation of having affordable houses is very difficult in New York City but we can change laws and help those people to move out of the system from shelter to houses”, says Alexa Avilés, Councilwoman for the 38th district in Brooklyn.

With this package of laws, people in municipal shelters can receive the subsidy within 90 days, which in theory simplifies the path to obtaining permanent housing. People at risk of eviction could also benefit and the poverty level criteria are lowered. But Mayor Eric Adams is opposed.

“There has to be another solution, there is no other, they cannot throw us out on the streets. We have to keep fighting”, says Michael Robinson, a Venezuelan migrant.

The mayor’s reasons center on the cost to taxpayers, estimated to be $17 billion over the next five years. And this would reduce already limited resources for those most in need and disadvantage the more than 20,000 holders of these existing vouchers due to the lack of vacant housing units. Currently about 94 thousand people are in municipal shelters. The mayor said that he is reviewing his options.