NYC Backs Off Requiring the Disabled to Work

by Rich Lombino & Elizabeth Lombino · 2010-06-30 06:55:00 UTC
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It looks like the Big Apple is attempting to be more sensitive to disabled homeless persons by rethinking its stance on work requirements. In a previous post, we discussed how the City of New York's Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is abandoning its flawed housing voucher programs and replacing them with (the flawed) "Advantage New York Program."

Initially we were told that this new program would require all current and future homeless residents to apply for public assistance, including those who are working and those receiving Social Security disability benefits (SSI/SSD), unemployment, veterans benefits and/or other forms of cash assistance. Not only would applying for public assistance add a new layer of bureaucratic red tape for shelter residents, but a person receiving disability benefits would have to work in order to receive the housing voucher.

Thankfully, it appears that DHS is backing off on the work requirement for disabled shelter residents. The most recent draft of a General Fact Sheet created by DHS states "[a]lthough we require households who can work to do so, we also recognize that some may be unable to work due to disability. Households may also qualify [for the voucher if they are receiving disability benefits.]" This decision comes in the wake of the city's similar retreat from a plan to charge shelter residents rent.

All other homeless New Yorkers will still be required to work to receive the voucher. Rental subsidies are still tied to working, so if a household member is unemployed, like millions of Americans in this recession, he or she won't qualify for the housing voucher. The family will be stuck — unemployed and homeless. This is the start of a vicious cycle for New Yorkers living in poverty. They will need jobs to have homes, but without a home, it's harder to get a job. This strict and unreasonable policy doesn't allow for any sensitivity or empathy. It's a set-up for failure. New York City can do better than this.

Photo credit: Rich Lombino

Rich Lombino & Elizabeth Lombino are an attorney/social work student and a social worker, respectively, working to end homelessness.
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