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Mayor de Blasio Announces More Than 40,000 New Yorkers Exited or Avoided Shelter and Moved to Permanent Housing Through City's Rental Assistance Programs

August 10, 2016

NEW YORK––Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that 40,540 New Yorkers in 13,806 households are living in permanent housing and avoided or exited shelter through the administration’s rental assistance and permanent housing programs since the programs began in July 2014.

“The solution to homelessness and the many problems it causes for New York families is a home. That’s why one of the first steps we took was to create new rental assistance programs and reopen NYCHA vacancies to homeless families,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “In less than two years, these programs have helped more than 40,000 New Yorkers escape homeless shelters and find a home, while saving taxpayers’ money because rental assistance is much less expensive than the cost of a homeless shelter. We will continue to make it a priority to help New Yorkers stay in their homes or find new ones.”

“Having a stable, affordable place to stay is a key part of addressing poverty,” said Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks. “For many, housing is the first step toward a better life, and I’m very pleased to see that our efforts to find homes for those in shelter, and to help those in danger of losing their homes avoid eviction, are taking hold. There is certainly more to do, and we will continue fighting as hard as we can to provide homeless and at-risk New Yorkers with the help they need to find and keep permanent housing.”

Since July 2014 to July 1, 2016, 40,540 New Yorkers have found homes including:

  • The City’s LINC rental assistance program has helped 12,635 men, women and children in 5,424 households find a permanent home.
  • CityFEPS has placed 7,882 New Yorkers in 2,265 households.
  • NYCHA has taken 3,635 households with 12,562 New Yorkers.

The City’s other homelessness prevention programs are also producing results:

  • From January 2014 through June 2016, about 131,000 households – including about 390,000 people – received emergency rental assistance to help them stay in their homes, averaging about $3,600 per case, which is much less than the $41,000 a year for a family in a shelter.
  • 2,015 veterans have been placed into permanent housing since last year. The federal government also certified that New York City had ended chronic veteran homelessness last December.
  • The City’s tenant legal services programs have served more than 27,000 households, including more than 75,000 people.
  • Evictions in housing court are down 24 percent since 2013.
  • The Department of Homeless Services’ HomeBase program has served 38,082 households with 113,869 individuals with a variety of support services.

Rental assistance programs to keep families in their homes and help those in shelter exit to permanent housing are both better for families and individuals and cheaper for taxpayers. After Advantage ­– the State and City’s rental assistance program supporting thousands of families – was cut in 2010, the City’s shelter population ballooned to 50,689 when Mayor de Blasio came into office.

"I'm pleased to hear of the success of the Administration's rental assistance and permanent housing programs," said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams. "New Yorkers suffer from one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. The high price of housing, coupled with a shortage of available options, puts every day New Yorkers at a disadvantage. It's important as legislators we continue to create initiatives and programs that address the housing problems we have in this City."



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