New York, NY – Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Members of New York’s Congressional Delegation called on the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to halt the wrongful termination of thousands of Section 8 vouchers in light of computer and clerical errors on the part of NYCHA. The Members sent a letter to NYCHA Chairman John Rhea requesting an immediate moratorium on voucher terminations and a thorough review of Section 8 administration.
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“Section 8 voucher recipients are some of our most vulnerable citizens,” wrote the Members. “Families using vouchers typically have incomes well below the poverty line. If their housing vouchers are terminated, their housing costs will double or triple, placing many at risk of losing their homes. It is unacceptable that New Yorkers most in need of assistance have been able to fall through the cracks. We urge NYCHA to cease the termination of Section 8 voucher subsidies until the Authority can ensure that these administrative challenges have been resolved.”
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The letter below:
October 27, 2011
John B. Rhea, Chair
New York City Housing Authority
250 Broadway, 12th floor
New York NY 10007
Dear Chairman Rhea:
We are writing regarding recent changes to the administration of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA or the Authority) Section 8 voucher program, which has reportedly led to the wrongful termination of thousands of Section 8 program participants. We urge NYCHA to place a moratorium on the termination of Section 8 Voucher subsidies until the Authority can ensure that families are not being terminated in error.
In the last year, NYCHA implemented a new system to computerize its Section 8 files and automate the annual and interim recertification process. While we understand NYCHA intended to improve efficiency and service for participants, reports from constituents and advocates showcase wide-spread problems with this system. There are numerous complaints about the Authority’s failure to send or process the annual recertification paperwork needed to renew subsidies, notify participants of hearings to challenge program terminations, or adjust tenant contributions after changes in family income. Section 8 termination notices are automatically generated, even where tenants were never issued recertification documents or documents submitted by tenants have not yet been scanned into the computer. As a result, families have been cut from the program and are now at risk of eviction through no fault of their own.
The use of a single customer service line in replacement of individual housing assistants has only exacerbated these problems. Voucher holders no longer have a locally-based caseworker with direct knowledge of and responsibility for the processing of their case that they can contact with questions or concerns. Instead, participants must call the NYCHA Customer Contact Center and speak with a representative with no familiarity of their case and who is often unable to resolve their problem.
Section 8 voucher recipients are some of our most vulnerable citizens. Families using vouchers typically have incomes well below the poverty line; if their housing vouchers are terminated, their housing costs will double or triple, placing many at risk of losing their homes. It is unacceptable that New Yorkers most in need of assistance have been able to fall through the cracks. We urge NYCHA to cease the termination of Section 8 voucher subsidies until the Authority can ensure that these administrative challenges have been resolved. We also ask that NYCHA restore subsidies for families it has terminated until it can determine whether their subsidies were cut off in error.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation on this issue and your commitment to providing safe, decent affordable housing for low-income New Yorkers. We hope NYCHA will be able to reach a swift resolution to these problems and stand ready to assist in this effort.
Sincerely,
Congressman Jerrold Nadler
Congressman Charles Rangel
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney
Congressman Gary Ackerman
Congressman Eliot Engel
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy
Congressman Edolphus Towns
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
Congressman Gregory Meeks
Congressman Jose Serrano
might as well keep them off the program permanently. let them go to work or sponge off their relatives.the public has to stop paying for parasites !
I agree in principle with Volfie but there are some legitimate cases where people have no mazel and it becomes a very sad case. these are the cases that; when paperwork doesn’t process right or a mistake is made, these people can not fight due to illness or other cause. The process should be done correctly.
Nadler and these other politicians are really morons. The Democrats have been screaming about cutting the federal deficit and the State is going broke. We finally have a state agency that cuts off some spending and they object that some of their constituents might not get their handouts. Lets eliminate these subsidies entirely rather than debating who is eligible. For the small number of truly needy, let them rely upon private charities rather than putting their hands in our pockets and taking our tax money.
Why can’t they move into the park? Oh I forgot that the occupy wall street protesters don’t like jews
Unfortunately, it definitely is a systemwide widespread problem many needy people who really need it, are really suffering and are being terminated often times for no fault of their own. NYCHA invested close to 40 million dollars in this new system a year ago and it never worked from day one. They are just too proud to admit it. It’s not only with recertifications that the problems exist, they don’t renew leases, if income changes, good luck trying to make an interim change, if you need to move, transfers seldom get done in timely manner. If you failed inspection, good luck trying to get an inspector actually “coming” to reinspect, besides for the usual promise, all the while subsidy being suspended while it’s entirely NYCHA’s fault . Etc. etc. I’m glad the politicians finally heard their constituents complaints! Long time overdue!
I am a caseworker who helps clients recertify for Section 8. The problem is very serious. After I personally went down to the Section 8 office to give in a recertification, and sent in two copies certified mail, they still claimed not to have received the papers and threatened to close the case. This client is a sick elderly man on SSI who would be living in the street without Section 8. Yes, some people who get Section 8 do so dishonestly or can earn the rent money, but for many, this program prevents them from homelessness, and Section 8 is purposely trying to save money by wrongfully closing their cases.
What’s sad is that there are people who truly need this assistance and then those who take advantage of the system.
For those who are against the families that rely on section 8, I hope you never have to be in their shoes! How dare you critisize when you have no idea what it’s like to have to rely on section 8 each month for their rent! Everytime there’s an inspection, they hope and pray that the inspector won’t fill out the papers the wrong way and their rent won’t be terminated. These tenants are hard working people and still don’t have enough for the high rents today.
to jack C #7 , and others who responded- please don’t confuse charity with forced taxation.I try to give maaser or more in charity and now i’m also being charitable in my close to 40%(real percentages when ALL TAXES are considered) tax payments.Get off it. I am sick of this liberal manure.My grandparents, parents etc., came here from the shoa broke and broken in every possible way and they were able
to support and raise us in a decent way. i don’t want to hear that americans ,jewish americans , can’t pay the rent .and yes to the respondent who asked if i could say it to Hashem’s face – except if you would know your chumash man can’t survive and see his face – so get your social politics and chumash correct !
as i read the comments further down i see that most people are tired of these
wasteful handouts. the welfare state has destroyed the middle class by making us pay for those who don’t- forced charity(programs paid by working peoples tax dollars) begins at home -your home – not mine.Young people on section 8 and with food benefits cards, and medicaid -thats called genevah.!Get a job- any job has more dignity than being a parasite or a ganef !