Though the federal government has stepped in to help New York City’s affordable housing budget woes, West Harlem resident Miguel Lopez says he is still living in fear that he will not be able to maintain his current home. Disabled and living in the neighborhood for 46 years, Lopez relies on Section 8 city vouchers for his apartment. And despite recent federal allocations to provide a temporary fix, he said, “I’m still not convinced that I’m going to be safe.”
Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it would allocate a sum of $23.5 million to the New York City Housing Authority to be used for the Section 8 Subsidized Housing Program, which gives low-income tenants access to private housing, typically costing 30 percent of annual income. City vouchers, common in Harlem, cover the remainder.
This news of federal support comes after NYCHA announced earlier this month that, due to a budget gap of close to $45 million, it may revoke vouchers from as many as 10,000 residents already living in Section 8 housing.
According to NYCHA spokesperson Heidi Morales, HUD allocations were awarded to public housing authorities, such as NYCHA, who are in excess of their legal limit of vouchers.
In a release, HUD announced that the funding comes from a larger sum of $150 million set aside by Congress to help housing authorities support existing vouchers.
Morales said NYCHA could not comment on specific plans for allocating funds, or on whether the allocation ensures that current vouchers will not be revoked. “It’s still in the works,” she said.
“HUD’s allocation of more than $23 million to help fill that gap is an enormous help,” NYCHA chairman John Rhea said in a press release. But, he added, “Make no mistake, our problem is still a severe one.”
In Harlem, tenant advocates say they are still concerned about the long-term budget challenges ahead.
Sarah Martin, president of the Grant Houses Tenants Association, who questions Section 8’s original implementation, said, “We’re living at a big risk. ... It’s giving people false hope. Gradually, I see it [Section 8] teetering out.” She added that she is unsure of how NYCHA will find additional funding beyond the short-term federal fix.
City Council member Robert Jackson, who represents parts of West Harlem, said, “Time will tell. We have to be very optimistic.” He said NYCHA has an obligation to allow those currently in Section 8 housing to stay where they are.
“I’d prefer to give more vouchers rather than be conservative,” he added. To sustain the program, he said, the city should keep looking to the federal government for additional funding.
For tenants, the ambiguity around the actual allocation of the federal money is further cause for distress. “Where’s all the money going? I want to know,” Lopez said.
Alexandra Rodriguez, another West Harlem resident, said her sister depends on Section 8. “She’s still skeptical, even with this news. I am too. It hasn’t taken the fear away,” she said.
“They [NYCHA] should really do some thorough investigation, because some people on Section 8 don’t really need it,” said Donte Moore, a West Harlem resident who believes such an investigation would leave funding to help those who need it most.
But Amancia Martinez, who also lives in the neighborhood, said she was not surprised by the recent solution. There are too many people who depend on Section 8 for the program to fail, she said.
For residents who have not been able to join the program, the situation seems hopeless.
Jorge Martinez, a West Harlem resident, applied for Section 8 but was put on the waiting list. Now, though, new vouchers are on hold, and with news of the budget gap, Martinez said he understands the importance of prioritizing current vouchers.
Still, though, Martinez said he wishes he could receive vouchers. “I hope and pray they’ll bring it [Section 8] back,” he said. “I hope they’ll call me. It would be a big help.”
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