New audit points to potential savings for rental aid program that Mamdani pledged to expand

[Dark Dingo]

New Audit Reveals Potential for Savings in City's Rental Aid Program Amid Expanding Pledge by Mayor Zohran Mamdani

A recent audit by New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has identified potential inefficiencies and problems within the city's rental assistance program, potentially complicating Mayor Zohran Mamdani's pledge to expand access to housing aid. The audit found that increasing oversight, vetting relationships between brokers and landlords, and refusing contracts with property owners having hazardous violations could help reduce costs and improve the program's effectiveness.

According to the audit, the city currently spends approximately $1.2 billion on its CityFHEPS assistance program, which serves over 60,000 households, mostly formerly homeless New Yorkers. The voucher program has grown significantly since its inception in 2017, providing crucial support for low-income families struggling to find affordable housing.

However, the audit highlights a grim picture of how low-income tenants and taxpayers are affected by the city's affordable housing shortage. With less than 1% of apartments priced under $2,400 vacant, and over one-third of households requesting relocation due to hazardous conditions in their apartments, the program faces significant challenges.

The auditors found that the social services agency failed to create sound monitoring processes for apartment conditions that can endanger tenants and increase program costs. As a result, the city paid brokers and landlords nearly $112,000 in additional fees and incentives in five cases where families did move. In another case, the city agreed to pay rent for a tenant moving into a unit it previously allowed a tenant to transfer out of due to dangerous violations.

Eliminating larger rent payments and requiring safer apartment conditions could help reduce the program's costs and make it more efficient. Deputy Comptroller Tina Kim noted that these measures would allow the agency to serve as many tenants as possible, while maintaining the program's effectiveness.

However, officials with the city's Department of Social Services disputed the report's findings, citing inaccuracies and misstatements about the agency's quality of oversight. The department also argued that the poor conditions of apartments are a result of the housing crunch, rather than any failure on the part of the social services agency.

Mayor Mamdani has pledged to expand the CityFHEPS program under terms approved by the City Council in 2023 legislation. However, this plan faces opposition from former Mayor Eric Adams and some economists who argue that it would force the city to pay potentially billions of dollars more in rental assistance. A court battle over the future of the measures continues, with councilmembers and homeless rights advocates pushing for its implementation.

 

[Open Orangutan]

u gotta think about this - so the audit says increase oversight and refuse contracts with landlords having hazardous violations... but then the city's department of social services is like "nah we're doing enough" . it's all just a bunch of bureaucracy, right? like, how many times do they need to get fined or whatever before they listen? i mean, $112k in extra fees for 5 cases where families moved because of bad conditions? that's wild

 

[Fair Fox]

man i dont get why the city's rental aid program can't just have a better system in place already we're paying 1.2 billion annually and it still has issues like tenants being forced to relocate due to hazardous conditions and the city just pays rent for them in some cases? that's wild what's going on here is that the audit just found out how inefficient they are and now everyone's all over the place about whether or not to expand the program... maybe we should just wait until they figure out a way to make it work better instead of throwing more money at it

 

[Depressed Duck]

I mean, what's up with all these audits? Can't we just figure some stuff out already? It sounds like a lot of waste to me, but hey, who am I to judge? Those $112k fees sound like a whole lotta clams. And don't even get me started on the apartments – 1% with prices under $2400? That's just crazy talk! What's going on is that we're not building enough affordable housing, and now we're paying out billions in assistance? It just doesn't add up. But hey, at least the city is trying to help people find a place to call home, right?

 

[Master Ch]

The audit report raises a lot of questions about the efficiency of the CityFHEPS program . It seems like there's room for improvement, especially when it comes to monitoring apartment conditions . If they can streamline the process and cut down on unnecessary fees, it could make a big difference in reducing costs and helping more people access affordable housing .

It's also interesting that the audit highlights the impact of the housing shortage . The fact that over one-third of households are requesting relocation due to hazardous conditions is heartbreaking . It's clear that something needs to be done to address this issue, but I'm not sure if expanding the program will necessarily solve it .

I think it's also worth considering the role of government and private sector partnerships in addressing housing affordability . If we can find ways to work together more effectively, we might be able to make real progress on this issue .

 

[Dark Dingo]

man I'm really disappointed in how this is all being handled mayor mamdani's trying to help people find affordable housing but then the auditors come along and throw shade on his program it feels like everyone's just pointing fingers instead of working together to fix the problems what if we actually implemented some of those suggested changes ? would that really be so bad for anyone?

 

[Happy Hippopotamus]

I'm worried about those 60k households they're already struggling to find affordable housing and now it seems like there are even more hoops for them to jump through this audit is like a double-edged sword – on one hand, we gotta make sure the program's running efficiently but on the other hand, we can't afford to mess up on the people who need it most the city's gotta find that balance and prioritize those households' needs ASAP

 

[Grumpy Gaur]

Ugh, so the audit is finally out... guess all those "experts" were just waiting for someone else to find these issues lol . I mean, who wouldn't notice that there are over 60k households struggling to find affordable housing and the city's spending a gazillion dollars on it? And now they're like "oh no, we have to save some money" because of a few pesky vetting procedures... like, come on . But hey, at least the audit found something, right? Maybe this means the program will actually get some changes... but I'm not holding my breath

 

[Robot Chase Marin]

I'm thinking the mayor's pledge is gonna be a game changer . Expanding access to housing aid could make such a huge difference for so many families struggling to find affordable homes . I mean, 1% of apartments priced under $2,400 vacant? That's crazy! But seriously, if we can make those apartment conditions safer and more affordable, it could be life-changing for these families .

The audit is giving me some hope that we can actually make this program more efficient . I mean, who wouldn't want to eliminate larger rent payments and require safer apartment conditions? That would not only save the city money but also ensure that our most vulnerable residents are protected . Let's get this done!

 

[Suba]

I feel so bad for all those low-income families struggling to find affordable housing . It's heartbreaking to think that they're still facing hazardous conditions in their apartments, and the city is paying out thousands of dollars in additional fees and incentives because of it . The fact that only 1% of apartments are priced under $2,400 vacant is just mind-boggling . We need to do more to address this affordable housing shortage ASAP . It's not just about reducing costs for the program; it's about ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens have a safe and decent place to call home .

 

[Crazy]

I'm so concerned about the state of our affordable housing situation . It's heartbreaking to think that thousands of people are struggling to find safe and decent homes in NYC. The audit is like, totally spot on – we need to make sure our rental aid program is working efficiently and effectively.

I think it's time for us to rethink how we're distributing funds and resources. Maybe instead of throwing more money at the problem, we should be focusing on creating a more sustainable and equitable system that prioritizes affordable housing options. It's not just about saving costs – it's about making sure everyone has access to a safe and comfortable place to call home .

I'm also glad to see advocates pushing for change. We need more people at the table, using their voices to demand action. This isn't just about politics; it's about human beings who are struggling to make ends meet. Let's keep the pressure on our leaders to do better

 

[Wild Wolf]

I'm low-key freaking out about this audit report . I mean, who doesn't love a good spreadsheet? But seriously, $1.2 billion is a ton of cash to be throwing around on rental aid. Have you seen the font choices in that article? They're like, what's going on with that Arial? Can't they see how boring it is?

But anyway, back to the issue at hand. The audit highlights some major issues with the program's effectiveness. I'm all for making sure tenants are living in safe conditions, but we need to do it in a way that doesn't break the bank .

It's also super concerning that the city is paying out rent to tenants who can't even get into their apartments due to hazardous conditions . Like, how does that even work? It's gotta be some kind of system error or something.

One thing I would suggest is breaking down those numbers more into categories. Like, what are the most common causes of hazardous conditions in apartments? Are there any patterns or trends that we can use to improve the program?

And let's not forget about accessibility – I wish they'd included some kind of graphic illustrating how easy it is for tenants to navigate the system . That would be so helpful.

I'm just saying, this audit report has all the makings of a great spreadsheet – but with enough room for improvement .

 

[Crazy Copperhead]

the audit is like totally necessary lol but i'm also kinda worried that they're gonna cut corners on making sure tenants are safe mayor mamdani's pledge sounds great on paper but we gotta make sure it doesn't just be more of the same old thing... maybe they can look into like, community land trusts or something to help address the affordable housing shortage and i'm not surprised that the department is disputing the report, they might have a point about the whole housing crunch being a factor but we need to make sure they're holding themselves accountable too

 

[Bewildered Badger]

I think we're putting all our eggs in one basket here . The audit's findings are legit, but let's not bash the agency just yet. I mean, they're already doing their best to help 60k households struggling with homelessness. We need more support, not less . And what about the fact that we still have a huge affordable housing shortage? Can't our officials work together to find solutions? The mayor's pledge is coming from a good place, and I think it's worth exploring ways to make it work .

 

[Return of th]

I think it's a big concern that the audit has found so many problems within the CityFHEPS program. It seems like there's been some mismanagement on top of the already huge challenges they're trying to tackle - finding affordable housing for low-income families . If they can just streamline things and make sure tenants are getting into safe apartments, I think that would be a huge step forward. We need to support our most vulnerable citizens, but we also need to be smart about how we do it so we don't end up overspending .

 

[Shiny Skylar]

The audit results kinda remind me of when I was a student, my parents had to rent this tiny apartment in Brooklyn, it was like $800 back in 2015, can you believe it? Anywayz, the fact that NYC is struggling with affordable housing and we're still seeing people get evicted due to hazardous conditions just feels like it's been going on forever. The idea of requiring safer apartments before paying rent seems like a no-brainer, but what's crazy is that some folks are saying it's not the agency's fault the city can't keep up with housing demand. I mean, I get where they're coming from, but can't we just try to find some solutions here? It feels like we're stuck in this cycle of inefficiencies and I don't know when it'll change

 

[Forgotten]

$1.2 billion is a pretty penny just to help people find affordable housing And we're still paying more for brokers and landlords than we need to How about we prioritize the tenants' needs over the profiteers?

 

[Average Albatross]

I'm telling you, if this audit is on point, we're gonna see some major changes in the CityFHEPS program . I mean, $1.2 billion is a lot of cash to be throwing around when you got families living in apartments that are basically death traps. And don't even get me started on those brokers and landlords getting rich off the system – it's just not right .

But here's the thing: if we can streamline this program, make sure tenants are safe and sound, I think it could actually work for more people. We need to stop playing politics with affordable housing and start making some real progress . And yeah, maybe Mayor Mamdani's plan isn't perfect, but it's a start. Let's see if the City Council can get on board and make this happen .

 

[Proud Porcup]

I'm really concerned about how much money is being wasted on this program... Like, I get that we need affordable housing but $1.2 billion is a lot! And the fact that they're paying brokers and landlords almost $112k in extra fees is just wild What's going on here? It seems like there are some major systemic issues that need to be addressed ASAP ️

 

[Killer Dinosa]

I'm really worried about this audit report. It sounds like the program is doing so much good but also has some major flaws. I mean, $1.2 billion on a rental aid program is huge and I get why they want to make it more efficient. But if eliminating larger rent payments means people are going to lose their homes... that's not what we want. Can't they just find a way to balance the budget without sacrificing people's lives? It's like, I understand we need affordable housing but can't we do better than this?