| Releases & Statements
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum released a follow-up report indicating that the Human Resources Administration (HRA) has followed her recommendations for the improvement of the food stamps enrollment process for working families in the five boroughs. In November 2003, the Office of the Public Advocate issued a report called Locked Out: New York City Working Families Unlawfully Denied Access to Food Stamps , which criticized HRA for locking applicants out of “extended-hour” offices; for refusing all federally-mandated alternatives to applying in person; and for denying the possibility of meeting with a caseworker in the evening or on a Saturday.
Eleven months later, almost all of the recommendations from the Public Advocate’s are being carried out, and as a result, food stamp access for working families now appears to have reached the minimum level required by federal law. Most notably, offices no longer close earlier than they are supposed to and lock out working families who try to apply.
“I am pleased to see a City agency accept criticism and fix a blatantly dysfunctional system,” Gotbaum said. “There is more work to be done, but HRA has come a long way and deserves to be congratulated.”
Investigators from the Office of the Public Advocate found that food stamp enrollment centers had effectively acted on the following recommendations:
Clearly post and abide by extended office hours
Train workers to comply with federal standards regarding alternative application submission guidelines
Ensure that applicants can be served during extended and weekend office hours, and by phone
Make food stamp application available on HRA’s website
“HRA still needs to do a better job of eliminating hurdles so food stamps are accessible to everyone who needs them,” Gotbaum said. “Applicants shouldn’t have to undergo finger-printing when studies show that it does next to nothing to prevent fraud. And unemployed adults without children should have their access extended so they don’t go hungry while they look for work.
Overall, though, I am gratified to see that hungry New Yorkers are having an easier time getting food. Government is at its best when it is working to help those with the greatest need.”
Joel Berg, Executive Director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, said, “ We are extremely please that Public Advocate Gotbaum has succeeded in getting the City government to make food stamps more available for working families. The City still needs to remove additional barriers in place of food stamps access, but these improvements noted by the Public Advocate are certainly important first steps.”
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