July 25, 2014 Column: UJO Thanking HPD, Borugh President Adams and Coubcilmembers Williams and Torres for Easing of Rightsizing Policy

Last weeks column reported on changes in HPD's "rightsizing" policy for Section 8 clients. The 'rightsizing' policy was instituted as a result of the federal 'sequestration' to cover steep funding cuts, and it forced a number of families to move from their apartments to smaller size apartments within a month. As reported in an earlier column, Borough President Eric Adams led twenty borough officials in signing a letter to HPD seeking relief for these families.

HPD, Council Members Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the Housing and Buildings Committee, and Ritchie Torres (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the Committee on Public Housing, began a dialogue about steps that could be taken to address this issue, following an April 9 City Council hearing.

HPD agreed to extend the amount of time that regular voucher holders have to decide whether to pay additional rent or move to a right-sized apartment from 30 days, to one year from the date of the voucher holder's annual recertification. In addition, the department will hold town hall meetings to listen and inform tenants on the issue. The first such forum was hosted by Borough President Adams in Brooklyn Borough Hall, on July 18th.

The article notes that the UJO knows first hand the hardship caused by rightsizing, from years of assisting tenants in Williamsburg NYCHA projects effected by similar policies - mainly seniors ordered to move to smaller apartments when their family sizes shrinks. This showed  how devastating these forced relocations could be. Hopefully, the higher awareness about the policy's affects will bring to changes in other programs with similar policies.

In conversations with HPD representatives, they noted that the 'rightsizing' changes only relates to regular Section 8 vouchers, not 'enhanced' (project-based vouchers) that always had a rightsizing policy, but only when smaller apartments become available within that same development. These vouchers weren't effected by the sequestration.

"I thank HPD for recognizing the severe hardship caused to families by downsizing and they have changed the policies, despite the budged reductions. We hope that the federal bureaucracy will also recognize it, and will provide for the means to extend more relief," said Rabbi David Niederman, President of the UJO.

"I want to thank Borough President Adams, and the Councilmembers Williams and and Torres and all officials who joined to bring the important change for seniors and needy families. I hope that bringing awareness to the severe affects of downsizing will result in better policies to assist senior residents in Public Housing struggling for years with such issues," Rabbi Niederman added.

UJO Column, July 25, 2014