NYC Mayor Adams uses executive authority to end '90-day rule' to help homeless get housing sooner
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday that he's using his executive authority to end the so-called "90-day rule."
It had required anyone living in a homeless shelter to stay there for three months before qualifying for a housing voucher to help with rent.
Ending the 90-day rule allows people to get out of shelters faster and clear space for the influx of asylum seekers.
"Today, we're taking our efforts to house more New Yorkers to the next level - building on our work expanding voucher eligibility, cutting red tape, and reducing bureaucracy that we've focused on since day one," said Mayor Adams. "By removing the 90-day length of stay requirement for our CityFHEPS rental assistance program for individuals and families in shelter, we'll help more people exit shelter for permanent housing faster. To really build the housing New Yorkers need, the state Legislature must pass a 421-a replacement, allow more office conversions, and lift the cap on housing in Midtown Manhattan. We'll continue to advocate for those changes and use every tool available to move New Yorkers into homes."
The changes are effective immediately.
The city council passed a bill ending the "90-day rule" last month.
"The changes announced today will help us more efficiently provide families and individuals with the services and housing supports they need," said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. "This new tool will help us to connect New Yorkers experiencing homelessness with more permanent housing."
According to data for the first four months of Fiscal Year 2023 in the most recent Preliminary Mayor's Management Report, the average length of stay in shelter was 802 days for adult families, 485 days for families with children, and 441 days for single adults.
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