The New York City Council is set to sue Mayor Eric Adams after he declined to implement the city's updated housing voucher program laws.
Council members will vote Thursday to permit Speaker Adrienne Adams to begin the legal processes after city hall did not implement the new CityFHEPS reform laws by Wednesday Feb. 7. The mayor vetoed the new guidelines last summer, contending if implemented, they would cost the city $17 billion over five years and not the $10 billion the council had estimated.
The City Council promptly overrode the mayor's veto the following month by 42-8 vote, setting up the showdown lawsuit.
Of the four laws enacted, three were determined to be the most economically prohibitive. They would allow New Yorkers to apply for vouchers without entering the shelter system if facing eviction, ending a rule requiring people to stay in shelters for 90 days before becoming eligible for a voucher, and bar landlords from deducting costs of utility bills from a voucher. The income level of cutoff to qualify for aid would also increase.
As initially envisioned, the Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program was set up to provide "federal funding for subsides that help eligible low-income families to rent decent, safe, and affordable housing in a neighborhood of their choice," according to their website.
"The city has a responsibility to comply with local laws and the council must maintain its legal options to ensure compliance," council spokesperson Rendy Desamours said. "We will be voting on a resolution authorizing the council to pursue legal action enforcing these housing solutions because the help they could provide to New Yorkers facing rising evictions and homelessness cannot be ignored."
Mayor Adams is no stranger to litigation. In December 2023, The United Federation of Teachers sued the city and Mayor Adams to stop proposed $2 billion in budget cuts to public schools.
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