NEW YORK – In response to the Senate’s and Assembly’s inclusion of $250 million for the Housing Access Voucher Program in the one-house budget resolutions, Housing Justice for All, a statewide coalition of more than 80 organizations that represents tenants and homeless New Yorkers, released the following statement from Sumathy Kumar, Coalition Director:
“Rental assistance is a key to ensuring New Yorkers can find homes they can afford and leave the shelter system. We’re grateful to the Senate and Assembly for including the full $250 million for the Housing Access Voucher Program and call on the Governor to include this funding to ensure that this program meets the needs of New Yorkers. As the federal government moves to kick families off of rental assistance, standing up a robust statewide rental assistance program is essential to tackling the housing affordability and homelessness crisis. In one of the wealthiest states in the richest country in the world, the legislature is clear, we can afford to make sure all New Yorkers have a safe place to call home.”
BACKGROUND:
New York State included $50 million a year for a pilot of the Housing Access Voucher Program for four years in the 2025-26 budget. The first vouchers are now being released in March 2026, through referrals from the local Department of Social Services and NYC agencies serving people in shelters. The $50 million is estimated to provide under 2,000 vouchers statewide. Housing Justice for All is calling for funding of the program at $250 million and making it permanent to ensure that the program meets its goals.
More than 158,000 New Yorkers statewide are homeless, and almost one in three are children. Tenants throughout the state face an affordability crisis: 46% of all tenants in New York are rent burdened, paying more than 30% of their income to rent, and 20% of all tenants in New York are severely rent burdened, paying more than half of their income to rent.
The Trump administration has proposed new rules that would limit vouchers for immigrant families and impose harsh new work requirements. Research shows that work requirements and time limits in public benefits programs increase economic precarity without a corresponding increase in employment. The federal government has not funded its voucher program to keep up with increases in rent. Public Housing Authorities across the state are in shortfall and are considering desperate measures to keep their programs working.