Categories: Funding, New York State
03.16.2023
The New York State Assembly and Senate released their SFY 2024 one-house budget resolutions yesterday. Below is a summary on how both proposals compare to the Governor’s proposed budget.
We are delighted to announce that both one-house budgets included the Network’s ask of an 8.5% COLA, although once again omitting this increase for NYSSHP-funded contracts.
Existing Programs
A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
As noted above, both houses embraced the Network’s call to expand the Cost of Living Adjustment from the Governor’s proposed 2.5 percent to 8.5 percent. The COLA applies to OMH, OASAS, and OPWDD programs. A few OCFS, OTDA, and SOFA programs are also included. Also as noted, the NYS Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP) funded at OTDA is not included in the COLA in either the Senate or Assembly one-houses.
Both houses supported the Governor’s recommendations as follows:
- Increased funding for the OTDA Homeless Housing Prevention Services Program (HHPS) to $50,781,000 a $2.8 million increase (5.6%) from last year. HHPS funds the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP), the Solutions to End Homelessness Program (STEHP) and the Operational Support for AIDS Housing (OSAH) Program.
- The Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative annual allocation at $210 million to fund the operating and services for all open units and those coming online in the coming fiscal year is included, but neither one-house included funding to increase the per-unit ESSHI-rate to $35,000.
- Increased funding for existing Office of Mental Health Housing Programs keeping the $39 million funding that was committed last year to enhance funding and help offset rising costs.
- Includes year two of the $25 billion, five-year affordable housing plan, which includes the Supportive Housing Opportunity Program, a Supportive Housing Preservation Program and other capital funding in the Multifamily 9% and 4% programs. The New York State Housing Trust Fund remains at $44.2 million
- Funds the Homeless Housing Assistance Program at $128 million, same as last year.
- Includes $275 million in capital funding for predevelopment, preservation and maintenance of OMH programs. This includes OMH funded supportive housing programs.
New Programs
New Office of Mental Health Housing Resources
The Senate and Assembly one-house budgets agree to the Governor’s plan for new mental health resources including the Governor’s requested $890 million in capital for the 2,150 units of mental health housing.
The Network continues to press for :
- Increasing per-unit ESSHI rates to $35,000
- Increasing funding for the 30-year old NYSSHP program
- Creating a Preservation Fund for services and operating to match capital dollars
- Including NYSSHP in all COLAs now and going forward