Press Statements
January 31, 2023
CONTACT: Joe Loonam, joseph@vocal-ny.org, 347-409-4650
VOCAL-NY APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF HAVP OUT OF SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE
ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, the New York Senate Housing Committee passed the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), which would help homeless New Yorkers find stable housing and create eviction prevention for tenants at risk of becoming homeless.
“We are thrilled that the Senate Housing Committee has stepped up to move this bill forward,” said Joe Loonam, VOCAL-NY Housing Campaigns Coordinator. “Housing Access Voucher Program, as well as Good Cause eviction, will work together to prevent thousands of evictions across our state, and re-house many more trapped in shelters and on the street. Any plan to construct or convert units is incomplete without a state rental assistance program and greater tenant protections. We urge the Assembly to move this bill forward as well, and both houses to work together to get the Housing Access Voucher Program passed and funded at 250 million dollars this year.”
BACKGROUND:
Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) S568A/A3701B (Sponsored by Kavanagh in the Senate, and awaiting prime sponsorship in the Assembly): A state-funded rental assistance program which dedicates at least 50% of the program’s vouchers administered through public housing authorities to help homeless New Yorkers across the state find stable housing. The rest of the program’s vouchers will go towards eviction prevention for tenants at risk of becoming homeless. If funded it would create enough vouchers to get everyone currently in shelter access to a market rate rental subsidy, as well as prevent thousands of evictions a year.
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