Timely processing rates plummeted to under 30 percent for cash assistance applications and under 40 percent for SNAP for the fiscal year ending in June, according to the latest Mayor’s Management Report.
Government
Orgs That Help Tenants Sue Landlords Fear ‘Tone Deaf’ City Contract Changes
Emma Whitford |
Nonprofit legal service providers often file group lawsuits that assist tenants fighting landlord harassment across an entire building. But a new solicitation appears to impose limits on this preferred strategy for winning repairs and rent reductions.
Government
State Grants Reduced Shelter Standards For Adults ‘When Necessary’
Emma Whitford |
Clean mattresses, sheets and pillows. Towels, soap and toilet paper. These are among the shelter requirements New York State has agreed to waive in instances where no alternative is available—specifically for adult migrants in NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters—according to a letter obtained by City Limits.
CITY VIEWS: OPINIONS and ANALYSIS
Opinion: Closing the Loophole in NYPD Stop-and-Frisk Oversight
Terron Belle |
“The federal monitor overseeing the NYPD stop and frisk reforms has repeatedly warned that officers are under-reporting stops, leading to a likely massive undercount. In my case, this meant that I was not able to identify the officers who stopped me, since they never filled out the required stop report.”
ARTS and CULTURE
Opinion: Recognizing Queens’ Hip-Hop Legacy, 50 Years Later
Nantasha Williams |
“The Bronx may have birthed hip-hop, but Queens embraced it with open arms and nurtured its growth. As the phenomenon spread through New York City, Queens quickly established itself as a hotbed for talent, nurturing the creativity of aspiring artists who would later become legends.”
Government
Bill Would Make More New Yorkers Eligible for Air Conditioner Subsidy
Jeanmarie Evelly |
Citing the impact of climate change, Harlem State Sen. Cordell Cleare is pursuing legislation would make more New Yorkers eligible for the state-run Cooling Assistance Benefit, eliminating a requirement that applicants prove they have a medical condition. “An air conditioner is not a luxury anymore,” she said.
CITY VIEWS: OPINIONS and ANALYSIS
Opinion: Protecting New Yorkers From the Injustice of Wrongful Convictions
Greg Mingo and Anthony Sims |
“Collectively, we spent 69 years in prison for crimes we did not commit. We are now outside of prison because we were granted clemency and parole, respectively, but having yet to be exonerated, in many ways we are still not free.”
Housing and Homelessness
Iniciativa de albergar solicitantes de asilo en centros religiosos arranca con lentitud en medio de escasez de capacidad
Daniel Parra |
Project Hospitality e Interfaith Center of New York, dos de las partes involucradas en el contrato, dijeron que el camino para iniciar el programa ha sido accidentado y esperan que menos de 10 de los 50 espacios designados abran sus puertas en las próximas semanas.
CITY VIEWS: OPINIONS and ANALYSIS
Opinion: 103 Years After Women’s Suffrage, We’re Still Fighting for the Power of Our Vote
Maryam Mohammed-Miller |
“We still see some of the same voting suppression tactics due to the systemic racism embedded in our voting system. Black women and communities of color continue to fight for the right to vote, work that is especially important as different states throughout the country are actively advancing regressive legislation that will end that right for many.”
Economy
New Yorkers See Uneven Improvement in Food Stamp, Cash Assistance Delays
Julia Goldberg and Emma Whitford |
“If you get cash assistance, you are caught up in really significant delays, in a way that you would not be if you were only receiving SNAP,” said Katie Kelleher of the Legal Aid Society, a lead attorney on a federal lawsuit compelling the city to improve its processing times.
Housing and Homelessness
Faith-Based Shelter Initiative Off to Slow Start Amid Ongoing Capacity Crunch
Daniel Parra |
Project Hospitality and Interfaith Center of New York, two of the parties involved in the contract, said the road to initiating the program has been bumpy, and expect fewer than 10 of the designated 50 spaces to open their doors in the coming weeks.
