NYC’S ADVANTAGE SUBSIDIES – A LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS
(Article published in HWW December 2008)
by Lindsey Davis, Community Organizer, Coalition for the Homeless
The Advantage Programs are one of the most readily available housing subsidies for families in the New York City shelter system. They have made moving into housing possible for thousands of homeless individuals and families – but there are some important rules and requirements, as well as a few problems, that recipients should be aware of. These pages highlight some of the most common problems shelter residents face in successfully using the Advantage programs. Hopefully this information will help empower you to make the programs work as best they can.
Side Deals
Side deals, second leases, key money, or any other requests for services or money in addition to the rent written on your lease are illegal and are not enforceable in court. If you are looking at an apartment and the landlord or broker is asking for rent that is more than the amount of your Advantage voucher, they may be asking you for a side deal.
First, tell the landlord or broker that you cannot pay any money in addition to the amount on your Advantage award letter. You can let them know that both of you will be required to sign papers with the City at lease signing that stipulates that they cannot charge more than the Advantage rental amount for the apartment.
You do not have to accept an apartment where you are being required to pay a side deal.
Work Advantage clients should only have to pay $50 towards their rent, while Fixed Income and Children’s Advantage clients should not have to pay anything towards their rent. If you are forced to or already have signed a side deal and are living in an apartment and paying anything more than these amounts, be sure to keep any documentation of the side deal, including copies of the second lease or “agreement.” Even if you signed a side deal agreement, you are not required to make these additional payments to your landlord. However, if you do pay the additional charges, ask for a receipt or pay with a money order and be sure to keep a copy for yourself. This is proof of payments you have made.
If you have made payments in addition to the lease rent, it may be possible to go to court with your landlord regarding the illegal money he has collected. If you are interested in doing so, it is best to seek out legal representation. Try calling a legal aid or legal services office in your neighborhood for help.
Conditions Issues
The Department of Homeless Services performs inspections on all Advantage apartments prior to leases being signed to ensure apartments are legal residential units and are safe and appropriate for you and your family. You have the right to view any apartment that is offered to you by the shelter in advance of signing a lease and moving in. When you go to see the apartment make sure to look for holes in the walls or the floors, peeling paint, leaks, mold or signs of other conditions like infestations of rats, mice and roaches.
If the apartment has conditions that concern you:
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•Write down or take pictures of what you see.
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•Bring up conditions that you think will threaten your family’s health or safety with your caseworker or housing specialist.
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•You are required to comply with your independent living plan and are required to accept the next available, appropriate apartment for your and your family.
For example, a referral of a family with one person in a wheelchair to a 3rd story walk up apartment is inappropriate. An apartment with no locks on the doors and chipping plaster and paint may be inappropriate as well. However, an apartment in a neighborhood you don’t prefer or with too few closets is not inappropriate or unsafe.
What happens if your apartment has bad conditions after you move in?
If the apartment looks fine before you move in, but conditions become a problem while you are living there:
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•Tell the landlord about the problems you are having and ask him to make the necessary repairs.
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•If your landlord doesn’t resolve the problems in a timely way or refuses to make any repairs, call the Department of Housing Preservation and Development at 311 and ask an inspector to come and document the conditions.
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•You can also seek assistance from a HomeBase office in resolving the conditions issues or you can request a transfer.
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•Finally, if you are not able to resolve the conditions problem in these ways, contact the Crisis Intervention Program at the Coalition for the Homeless at the information below.
Foreclosure
If the apartment you are living in through one of the Advantage programs is being foreclosed upon, you will probably be notified by the bank who has lent your landlord money to buy the building that a foreclosure is taking place. As soon as you learn about the foreclosure, bring any documents you have to an advocate at a HomeBase office or the Coalition for the Homeless, or request an appointment at a legal aid or legal services office in your neighborhood. It is important to plan for how this foreclosure will effect you to make sure you and your family remain stably housed.
Work Advantage
Public Assistance
To receive the Work Advantage subsidy, you must both be working and have an open public assistance or single issue public assistance case at the time of lease signing. Without these two things in place, you might not be able to sign a lease.
Once a lease is signed, there is no connection between your public assistance benefits and receipt of the Work Advantage program for the first year (regardless of sanctions, case closings, etc.) You do not have to keep your public assistance case open once you have signed a lease and moved into your apartment.
Although, to apply for a second year of the subsidy, there is an income limit that is varies depending on the number of people in your household.
Renewal of the Program for a Second Year
Around your 9th month in the program, the Department of Homeless Services will mail you paperwork you need to submit to apply for renewal of your Work Advantage voucher for a second year. A second year of Work Advantage will not be automatically given to you – you have to apply. You need to fill out and return these papers to see if the Department of Homeless Services will give you a second year of help paying your rent. Make sure to return your paperwork even if you don’t have all of the information required or if you are afraid that you won’t be made eligible for a second year.
If you have not been compliant with one or more of the requirements, write a letter, or ask a social worker or case manager you are in touch with to write a letter detailing the reasons why you haven’t been able to comply with all of the requirements of the program. The Department of Homeless Services can grant exceptions to some of the requirements in special circumstances such as death in the family, medical issues, etc.
Requirements for a Second Year of Work Advantage include:
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•Open a bank account
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•Demonstrate some savings
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•Be employed for at least 6 months including at the time when you apply for another year of Work Advantage
[There is also a cap on how much money you can make and still receive Work Advantage.]
If you are told you will not be approved for a second year of Work Advantage but do not have any other way to pay your rent, contact a HomeBase office or the Coalition for the Homeless. Remember, you always have the right to reapply for shelter if you lose your apartment for any reason and have nowhere else to go.
Fixed Income Advantage & Children’s Advantage
Section 8
When you sign a lease for a Fixed Income or Children’s Advantage apartment, the shelter staff should also assist you in filling out a Section 8 application. You will get a priority with this application and, if you are found eligible, should receive a voucher in about 1 year. There is no guarantee that you will be found eligible for Section 8, even if you are allowed to receive the Fixed Income or Children’s Advantage program when you leave shelter.
Although HomeBase offices can assist you in following up on your Section 8 application, you should be sure to be in touch with the Section 8 office in the borough where your application was submitted to check on the status. You should check in frequently, at least once each month, and getting an answer may require that you go to the Section 8 office, and speak with a worker there.
See the list of Section 8 offices below:
Brooklyn: 350 Livingston Street, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 250-5900
Bronx: 1 Fordham Plaza, 5th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458 (718) 329-7859
Manhattan: 55 West 125th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10027 (212) 828-7100
Queens: 120-34 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11415 (212) 828-7100
Staten Island: 120 Stuyvesant Place, 2nd floor, Staten Island, NY 10301 (718) 448-7326
If you do not receive a Section 8 voucher before one year in the Fixed Income or Children’s Advantage program is up, you may be able to apply for an extension of your subsidy until your voucher is received. Contact a HomeBase office or another advocate for help in doing this.
Home Base Offices & Getting Help
HomeBase is responsible for providing aftercare to recipients of all of the Advantage programs. However, you must contact the office that serves the area where your Advantage apartment is located. Please see the list below of offices and the neighborhoods they represent. If you are told that you are calling the wrong office, ask them to provide you with the number of the office you should call. HomeBase now represents all five boroughs and all New York City communities.
HELP I
775 Crotona Park North
Bronx, NY 10460
(718) 299-8473
Neighborhoods Served:
Melrose, Mott Haven, Port Morris, Claremont, Morrisana, Crotona Park East, Bathgate, East Tremont, Bronx Park South, West Farms, Belmont, Fordham University
HELP II
1780 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10457
(718) 299-8473
Neighborhoods Served:
University Heights, Fordham, Mount Hope, Morris Heights, Kingsbridge Heights, Norwood, Riverdale, Marble Hill
Catholic Charities- Bronx
2155 Blackrock Avenue
Bronx, NY 10472
(718) 414-1050
Neighborhoods Served:
Hunt’s Point, Longwood, Castle Hill, Unionport, Soundview, Bronx River, Parkchester, Throg’s Neck, Pelham Bay, Co-Op City, Bronxdale, Laconia, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Van Nest, Williamsbridge, Ollinville, Baychester, Woodlawn, Eastchester, Edenwald, Wakefiel
CAB
1130 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10456
(718) 293-0727
Neighborhoods Served:
Concourse Village, Highbridge, East Concourse, West Concourse, Mt. Eden
Palladia
2276 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10035
(917) 492-1019
Neighborhoods Served:
All of Manhattan
Catholic Charities- Queens
87-80 Merrick Blvd.
Jamaica, NY 11432
(718) 674-1000
Neighborhoods Served:
All of Queens
Partnership for the Homeless
100 Pensylvannia Avenue, 2nd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11207
(718) 875-0027
Neighborhoods Served:
Highland Park, East New York, New Lots, Starrett City, Cypress Hills, Canarsie, Flatlands, Marine Park
Bushwick HomeBase I
299 Wycoff Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 366-4300
Neighborhoods Served:
Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
Bushwick HomeBase II
1432 Pitkin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11233
(718) 221-4404
Neighborhoods Served:
Brownsville
CAMBA I
1195 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216
(718) 622-7323
Neighborhoods Served:
Bedford Stuyvesant, Prospect Heights, Flatbush
CAMBA II
2211 Church Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 940-6311
Neighborhoods Served:
All of Staten Island, Fort Greene, South Brooklyn, Park Slope, Gowanus, Red Hook, Windsor Terrace, Sunset Park, Borough Park, Ocean Parkway, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Midwood, South Flatbush, Sheepshead Bay
CAMBA III
362 Utica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213
(718) 756-0615
Neighborhoods Served:
Crown Heights
You can also contact the Coalition for the Homeless Crisis Intervention Program both before leaving the shelter and after moving into your apartment for help from an advocate.
Crisis Intervention Program
129 Fulton Street
Take the 2,3,4,5,A,C,J or M trains to Fulton Street/Broadway Nassau Street Stations.
Crisis is a walk-in clinic that operates on a first come first served basis and can only see a certain number of clients each day. Please arrive no later than 8AM in order to be seen on the day you choose to come in.
