(WNY News Now) – A state audit reveals major challenges in New York City’s CityFHEPS program, leaving homeless New Yorkers in shelters for months due to administrative missteps and inadequate oversight.
New York City, N.Y. – New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s latest audit underscores critical flaws in the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program, which aims to transition homeless New Yorkers into stable housing. The report found severe delays in program processes and insufficient monitoring by the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS), raising concerns about the city’s capacity to manage homelessness amid a mounting affordability crisis.
DiNapoli’s findings, covering July 2019 through December 2023, highlight systemic issues with data reliability, eligibility determinations, and delays in issuing “Shopping Letters”—which enable eligible households to seek housing within their CityFHEPS-approved rent limit. According to the audit, households approved for CityFHEPS waited an average of 10 months to exit shelters, with one case spanning over three years…