Families attempting to apply for or recertify public assistance, and those applying for rental assistance, consistently face delays that threaten their access to the benefits they desperately need. Abby Biberman, associate director of NYLAG’s Public Benefits Unit, testified to the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare about this issue. Below is an excerpt from her testimony:
“First, HRA is persistently delaying processing applications and recertifications for SNAP and Cash Assistance benefits, and our clients are left without benefits to feed and care for their families. Second, HRA is failing to maintain functional systems both online and in person that enable SNAP and Cash applicants and recipients to obtain and maintain benefits. There are three major problems related to processing of applications and recertifications: (1) failure to process the actual recertification and application forms; (2) failure to conduct the interviews; and (3) failure to index documents that clients submit to support their recertifications and applications for benefits.”
