Department of Homeless Services Creates Fund to Aid Those Needing Section 8 Vouchers

February 24, 2010 7:12pm4commentsprint

The Department of Homeless Services is establishing a million-dollar fund to help those whose Section 8 vouchers were revoked at the end of 2009. (Flickr/SpecialKRB)

By Jennifer Glickel

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — The NYC Department of Homeless Services announced Tuesday that it will try to help New Yorkers whose Section 8 housing vouchers were yanked at the end of last year.

Robert Hess, Commissioner for the Department of Homeless Services, told members of the City Council that DHS will be creating a Homebase Housing Flex-Fund of $1 million to "help those whose needs cannot be met through any other means."

The $1 million fund will be maintained by stimulus dollars, Hess said.

The New York City Housing Authority cut the Section 8 voucher program, a federally-funded housing subsidy for the poor, elderly or disabled, when Congress stripped $58 million from their budget last May.

As a result of the cutbacks, 3,000 individuals or families who had already gotten the vouchers but were still looking for an eligible apartment to open up had their vouchers revoked at the end of last year, according to published reports.

The Flex-Fund will work to help the neediest of these 3,000 people.

By Jennifer Glickel, DNAinfo.com
Follow Jennifer on Twitter @jglickel

Comments 4comments

I applied for section 8 twice last year before December due to a worker at Homebase's mistake. I am not able to pay $1400 a month's rent by myself being a single mother of 2 and only bringing home $1600 a month after taxes. What happens with those applications now that Section 8 is closed?
bmercado | March 21, 2010

Lina Thnx for the comment. I take it you are affiliated with the website, or are you associated with the City Of New York? Oh and my homebase worker called and notified me that I was in fact on the list for the fund, just don't know when this will take effect. If you have anymore info, please share, and thnx again.
jayman23 | March 6, 2010

In theory they should make it available at your local Homebase office. You can find out where that is by calling 311 and asking about Homebase. They said at the hearing that they would announce the fund soon, but they haven't. If I were you I would politely call the Homebase office every few days to find out if the money is available. You need the voucher as soon as possible so you can find an apt.
Lina | March 1, 2010

I was one of the 3000 who got their voucher canceled. I am facing eviction from a foreclosure. I paid my rent to the landlord and he didn't pay his mortgage. I have 4 kids and i need help, my time is running out. I have maybe one month left here. When will this fund be available?
jayman23 | February 28, 2010

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