Albany, NY (WRGB) — A supportive housing program that serves over 9,000 New Yorkers is about to end years earlier than expected, following an announcement from the federal government. Recipients now have about a week to apply for alternative aid.
The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program provides financial support for those at risk of homelessness or those who have experienced domestic violence to find housing. It was enacted in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act to address housing instability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program – which has supported 70,000 families across the country since – was supposed to last until 2030.
Nyla, a survivor of domestic violence who asked to remain anonymous for her safety, has received the housing voucher to live in New York City.
“This housing voucher has helped me sustain safety for myself and my child. It’s helped give me a safe place and not have to either, I guess, remain in a place that was unsafe” Nyla said. “it’s helped me continue my journey of healing, becoming financially independent and just getting my agency, just getting my agency back.”
Last year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that funding for the EHV program would end earlier than expected, as Congress and the Trump administration did not include money for the program in last year’s spending budget. The department warned public housing authorities last June to start transitioning recipients to housing choice vouchers – an alternative that some worry will not be enough.
New Destiny is a New York City-based nonprofit that aids domestic violence survivors. The organization’s CEO Nicole Branca says EHV was critical for survivors during the pandemic.
“So many of the vouchers ended up going to domestic violence survivors in New York City, because, in addition to the economic fallout from COVID, survivors couldn’t leave,” Branca said. “They had nowhere to go during the lockdown, and so the abuse was longer, and it was a more awful situation for them.”
New Destiny works alongside the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) – which distributes emergency vouchers to more than 7,000 families in the city, more than any other housing authority in the country. Their office started notifying voucher recipients of the end of the program last summer, telling them that applying for public housing was the first step they should take. According to Branca, that isn’t always a safe option for the families her organization works with.
“A lot of people can’t move back to NYCHA housing. They don’t want to move back to NYCHA housing. Their abusers could live there. They could have had a terrible experience,” Branca said. “NYCHA has some great housing, but they also have housing that our families have struggled with.”
NYCHA had a few plans for those in the program – including moving recipients onto the federal Section 8 program, which the federal government has since blocked.
“NYCHA very quickly put out a plan, and they were going to transition everybody on to regular section eight. And then HUD said no. And so NYCHA went through a waiver process, and they requested that they allow them, and HUD said no again,” Branca told CBS6.
Nyla says the abrupt end of the program could impact her safety.
“Having housing and the funding snatched from under us is like this dark loom of fear and uncertainty,” Nyla said.
Branca said New Destiny is in conversation with lawmakers at the city and state level to find a permanent solution, but they have not come to any conclusions yet. For now – she’s telling families to speak out about their situations to gain public attention.
“Our option honestly is asking them if they want to speak to the press and talk to elected officials and get their voices heard,” Branca said.
The State Senate and Assembly have both included increased funding for the Housing Choice Voucher program in their budget proposals – a change that New Destiny recommended earlier this year. But those recommendations were made before housing authorities knew how soon the pandemic-era program would end.
Families that currently receive the vouchers have until May 1st to find alternative support.