Torres: Federal Section 8 initiative would cripple thousands of New York City families
It has been said that history rhymes rather than repeats itself. For New Yorkers who have seen record levels of homelessness on the streets, in the shelters and in the schools since the demise of Work Advantage five years ago, the rhyme of history can be heard in the federal government's proposal for Small Area Fair Market Rents (FMRs), which, if established here in New York City, would sharply reduce Section 8 rental assistance for the poorest New Yorkers in the poorest ZIP codes. The Big Apple's bitter experience with homelessness from 2011 onward should serve as a grim reminder: Less rental assistance will mean more homelessness. Fewer dollars spent on affordable housing will mean more spent on shelter.
It was true in 2011, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo and then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg eliminated Work Advantage rental assistance for the formerly homeless (homelessness exploded as a result and has raged on ever since), and it would be true in the near future if the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development eviscerates Section 8 rental assistance in New York City.