The refusal of Mayor Eric Adams and his administration to pass legislation that would have expanded the city’s rental assistance program has led to the New York City Council now joining a class action lawsuit against them.
The council enacted regulations last summer that would remove the requirement that a person must be in a homeless shelter for at least ninety days to qualify for these housing vouchers, as well as broaden their income range.
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These laws were vetoed by the mayor, but the council overrode him.
The legislation was supposed to take effect on January 9th, but according to Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, nothing has changed.
“The administration did absolutely nothing, which means that they didn’t put in any additional funding,” Ayala remarked.
“The city council has jurisdiction over the creation of these laws and the city has to implement them. Right now, they’re derelict in their responsibilities and their refusal is really frustrating.”
The mayor’s office claims that this measure will cost the city about $17 billion in the next five years and is therefore excessively costly; however, the council does not agree with this estimate.
Additionally, the administration of the mayor claims that these measures surpass the council’s legal jurisdiction.
Adams’ Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg stated, “It’s our belief as a legal matter that that law goes beyond the City Council’s authority and that it’s preempted by existing state law.” He added, “So, there are significant legal issues and they will play out in court.”
The Legal Aid Society initially filed the case last week on behalf of four homeless New Yorkers who would qualify for the CityFHEPS voucher program should the legislation go into force.
They expressed gratitude to the council for supporting them in their legal battle.
“Living in a shelter is a significant hardship and I think that any stay in a shelter should be as short as possible,” According to Robert Desir, a Legal Aid Society staff attorney.
Approximately 36,000 families are now participating in the CityFHEPS housing voucher program. This housing voucher program is not available to migrants.
