Categories: New York State, New York City
02.13.2025
On February 12th, Network Director of Policy, Tierra Labrada, testified at the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare HASA Oversight Hearing highlighting the challenges in the referral process, the lack of data transparency and the cost of inaction. On February 12th, Network Chief Policy Officer Rebecca Zangen testified at the New York State Senate and Assembly Joint Budget Hearing on Human Services to advocate for the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP).
Tierra stressed that HASA’s current system is systemically flawed: prospective tenants who are currently living in transitional or emergency housing often decline referrals to supportive housing units where they’d be required to 30% of their income in rent. This system is leaving many supportive housing buildings with significant vacancies, reducing access to housing for others in shelter or experiencing street homelessness. Tierra suggested three possible solutions: allowing providers to transfer units to DOHMH, investing in converting SROs to studio apartments and/or capping HASA tenants’ rent at a much lower rate.
Read the full Network testimony here.
On February 12th, Network Chief Policy Officer Rebecca Zangen testified at the New York State Senate and Assembly Joint Budget Hearing on Human Services to advocate for the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP). Rebecca stressed that funding for NYSSHP has not significantly increased since its creation almost 40 years ago. Rebecca also stressed the need to pass the Supportive Housing Modernization Act to ensure new funds are spent in the most appropriate way.
Rebecca also advocated for a 7.8% contract increase as well as an increase in capital funding in the Homeless Housing Assistance Program (HHAP) to $256 million, which is often the sole funding source for emergency shelters and smaller supportive housing projects as well as gap funding for larger projects as costs increase.
Read the Network’s full testimony here.