Lawmakers in New York are finalizing the state budget, which may allocate $50 million to establish the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP). The initiative aims to assist those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, modeled after the federal Section 8 program. Despite some hesitation from Governor Hochul regarding costs, the program has received support from both tenant and landlord groups, emphasizing its potential to stabilize housing in the state amidst growing homelessness and a housing shortage.
"If we get this done, it'll be a very big victory for tenants and for anyone who cares about the stability of our housing stock, for property owners who want to do the right thing and house people who might otherwise struggle to pay their rent, for communities where they know that people are losing their homes," said State Sen. Brian Kavanagh, who co-sponsored a bill to create HAVP each legislative session for the last five years.
"This is something that we're looking to initiate for the first time here, moderating the cost and keeping an eye on the program because this has potential to escalate a great deal," Hochul said. "But it's something I thought was important, the leaders of the Legislature thought was important."
#housing-access-voucher-program #new-york-state-budget #homelessness-assistance #rental-subsidy-program #housing-stability
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