"New Yorkers experiencing delays in their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and cash assistance benefits will receive relief through a lawsuit settlement reached with the City of New York, the Legal Aid Society announced on Monday. The agreement mandates a list of reforms to ensure timely access to food benefits and cash assistance programs, modernization of the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and strengthening oversight of the agency."
"Emily Lundgren, staff attorney with the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society, said low-income New Yorkers have been forced to wait for the benefits that the law guarantees them. This settlement finally holds the city accountable and ensures that families can access life-sustaining benefits without facing unnecessary red tape, technical barriers or bureaucratic neglect, she added. amNewYork contacted the HRA for comment about the agreement and is awaiting a response."
"The lawsuit was filed in 2023, alleging the city failed to process applications and recertifications for SNAP and CA within the 30-day timeframe required by federal and state law. According to the suit, HRA failed to timely process half of all SNAP applications in August 2022 alone. That same month, the agency failed to process over one-third of cash assistance applications in a timely manner, the suit alleged."
A lawsuit settlement with the City of New York requires reforms to ensure timely access to SNAP and cash assistance for low-income New Yorkers. HRA must overhaul systems, meet benchmarks for processing applications and renewals, limit call-in interview wait times, improve communications, and modernize online platforms. The reforms aim to reduce administrative barriers and speed benefit delivery for hundreds of thousands of people. The lawsuit alleged HRA missed federal and state 30-day processing requirements, citing August 2022 data showing substantial delays in SNAP and cash assistance application processing.
Read at www.amny.com
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