NYC Mayor Mamdani faces pressure from both sides regarding housing voucher program
There is a push to get New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to expand a housing voucher program that helps people experiencing homelessness move from shelters to apartments.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has criticized the program for fiscal excess, putting pressure on the mayor to curb its growth.
What supporters say
During a rally at City Hall on Thursday, demonstrators demanded Mamdani keep a campaign promise to expand the voucher program known as the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement, or CityFHEPS. The program currently helps 65,000 families.
Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez is leading the fight.
"Come to the table. Let's talk about what you promised on the campaign trail, and let's get New Yorkers the help that they need," she said.
Christine Quinn, who runs the Win homeless shelter system says the voucher system is cost effective.
"The night in a permanent apartment with a voucher cost the taxpayers $54," she said. "A night in a Win shelter, close to $300. A night in a welfare hotel, believe it or not, close to $400."
Milton Perez said his life changed dramatically when he moved from a dormitory city shelter in Brooklyn to his own apartment, thanks to CityFHEPS.
"Having CityFHEPS made my life better because once I entered a shelter, my health started to deteriorate," he said. "My mental, physical, emotional health deteriorated."
Concerns about costs
The request to expand the program comes during perilous times for the city, however.
Earlier this week, the governor demanded that the city tighten its belt because the program was growing "exponentially."
"They have programs that are growing not 4% a year, but 4% a month," Hochul said.
The comptroller's office said the costs for CityFHEPS increased by about $1 billion in four years, going from $333 million in 2022 to $1.24 billion in 2025.
Sanchez admits that the program can be more efficient.
"I will be the first one to line up and say that the existing program has elements that could be improved," she said.
A spokesman for the mayor said, "Mayor Mamdani has been clear that CityFHEPS is an invaluable tool to prevent homelessness and support homeless New Yorkers. That is why our team is working hard to ensure that it is fiscally sound and sustainable for the long-term."
