Council Panel Votes to Better Inform Housing Applicants

By BOBBIE BELL

The New York City Council Committee  on General Welfare approved a bill on Thursday that would provide a written notice to low income residents with the facts about their rights to subsidized housing, to prevent landlords from discriminating against eligible recipients of housing assistance programs.

One form of aid for locals are housing choice vouchers, designed to provide easier access for low income families, older and disabled residents to find safe affordable housing.

“I’m hoping this bill will help empower voucher holders and really turn the tides against these landlords who have been capitalizing off the fact that most people are not knowledgeable on what the law is regarding income discrimination,” said Councilwoman Diana Ayala in the hearing.

According to Councilman Stephen Levin, the information would  provide “those potentially eligible for city rental assistance” with clarity when navigating the hunt for housing. He expressed the hope that it would be a stepping stone towards curing homelessness in the city.

According to Coalition for Homeless, homelessness here has soared to over 57,000 people as of August. “The highest level since the Great Depression,” according to the source. In March of this year, Governor Cuomo enforced a rule that prevented landlords from kicking out tenants as the spread of
the rising virus caused many job losses and worsened the plight of the homeless.

“I hope that these bills will bring us a step closer to…raise the voucher levels for fair market rent, so that individuals and families are able to quickly exit the shelter system into housing or avoid entering the shelter system all together,” said Levin.

Levin said the steps to obtain housing are“confusing” and when “landlords illegally deny them housing based on source of income discrimination,” it makes matters worse.

“It is a bill that will ensure that when a voucher recipient is handed that voucher, they are also handed literature and educated on what their rights are in terms of discrimination,” said Ayala.

Ayala said that she has seen many “apartment seekers” say that they’ve “had this voucher for months and keep getting turned down because no one accepts it.” “We have to explain that they’ve in fact been misled by landlords who are discriminating against them,” said Ayala.

“I hope to be back next year and see how effective it’s been,” said Ayala.