May 21, 2026 As Federal Emergency Housing Vouchers Expire, Failure to Act Will Push 5,500 Households Out of Their Homes and Into Homelessness As state budget negotiations are finalized, Governor Hochul must support the Legislature’s proposed $250 million in funding for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), New York’s first statewide rental assistance program designed to prevent homelessness and help families secure stable housing. Governor Hochul did not propose any increase to the program in her FY2027 Executive Budget proposal. Failure to increase funding will put 5,500 households at risk of homelessness. These households are currently receiving federal Emergency Housing Vouchers, which the Trump Administration has abruptly cut, leaving these families with no other way to pay rent going forward in the absence of an HAVP increase. At the same time, Governor Hochul has called on the City to cut spending on its own voucher program, CityFHEPS. This call for cuts comes at a time when rental assistance programs are more critical than ever for preventing a surge in homelessness across the state. The Governor has repeatedly emphasized affordability as a central priority. However, housing remains the single largest expense for most households across the state, as the housing affordability crisis is continuing to drive thousands of individuals and families into homelessness across New York State. Thus far, nothing in the budget or among the Governor’s priorities addresses this need. Last year, New York established a $50 million pilot for HAVP, a statewide rental assistance initiative designed to help New Yorkers who are unhoused or at risk of losing housing secure and maintain stable homes in the private market through rental subsidies. HAVP was created to fill critical gaps in the state’s housing safety net by extending assistance to low-income New Yorkers who are often excluded from existing local and federal programs — including undocumented New Yorkers, people with prior felony convictions, and individuals with no income. “At this moment in time when the federal government has cut off critical housing, food, and healthcare supports to struggling New Yorkers, increasing homelessness and suffering in our state, we need Governor Hochul to step up now to ensure that vulnerable New Yorkers can remain in their homes. HAVP is clearly the best way to do this. Doing nothing while 5,500 households in New York face homelessness is unthinkable,” said Dave Giffen, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless. “New York cannot claim to be serious about addressing affordability while refusing to invest in the very programs that keep people housed,” said Judith Goldiner, Attorney-In-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “At a moment when thousands of families are at risk of losing federal rental assistance, the state should be strengthening HAVP — not walking away from it. Without increased funding, 5,500 households could be pushed into homelessness this year alone. Rental assistance works. It keeps families stable, prevents costly shelter stays, and helps ensure that vulnerable New Yorkers are not left with nowhere to go.” “Cuts from the federal government are already being felt across the state, and even more are looming. This is the time when Governor Hochul could be stepping up. Housing saves the lives of homeless New Yorkers. If she fails to invest in this program at a time like this, she fails again to step up for us,” said Pedro Benitez, VOCAL-NY Positive Leaders & Homeless Union Member and Board Member. “Ignoring the growing homelessness crisis does not make it go away! It is time for Governor Hochul to take meaningful action, before we see any more of our people lose their lives to the streets,” said Bebhinn Francis, Co-Organizer of The National Union of the Homeless. “The federal cuts are going to cause waves of damage and worsen the housing crisis that already exists. The funding increase for the Housing Access Voucher Program to 250 million is necessary to provide a safety net to those who are rent burdened or homeless. We all deserve to have a home and not fear being displaced. It is time Governor Hochul act and pass this increase in the budget to protect New Yorkers from housing instability,” said Denise Rebeil, Housing and Environmental Justice Lead Organizer at Make the Road New York. “Refusing to increase funding for the Housing Access Voucher Program, a program that has popular support among elected officials across the state of New York, is both irresponsible and short sighted. The $250 million dollar increase in funding will provide thousands of families with a pathway out of homelessness, and prevent families from falling into homelessness in the first place. Nearly 5,500 New Yorkers are set to lose their federal housing vouchers, and the governor hasn’t put a plan in place to make up for that loss. Governor Hochul must rise to the occasion and show the leadership New Yorkers need, by increasing funding for the Housing Access Voucher Program,” said Amy Blumsack, Director of Organizing & Policy at Neighbors Together. “The federal government is slashing social services just as the economy worsens an already historic housing crisis. The State of New York must step up to help New Yorkers get housed. We know that rental assistance works to help people secure permanent homes, yet the $50 million pilot passed last year that went into effect in March provides vouchers for just 2,000 households. That is nowhere near enough to meet the current need or prevent 5,500 families from becoming homeless again. If she is serious about the affordability crisis, Governor Hochul must fund the Housing Access Voucher Program.” said Sumathy Kumar, Director of Housing Justice for All.
