New audit points to potential savings for rental aid program that Mamdani pledged to expand

New York City's Rental Aid Program Under Scrutiny: Auditors Identify Inefficiencies and Potentially Savings.

A recent audit by the state comptroller's office has exposed inefficiencies in New York City's rental assistance program, which could lead to cost savings and improved oversight. The CityFHEPS program, launched in 2017, provides rental aid to nearly 60,000 households, mostly formerly homeless New Yorkers.

The audit found that lax oversight and poor communication with landlords have led to overpayment and increased costs for the program. In some cases, landlords received up to $112,000 in additional fees and incentives from the city after tenants moved into units with hazardous conditions. The auditors also discovered instances where the city paid rent for a tenant moving into a unit it had previously allowed them to transfer out of due to dangerous violations.

To address these issues, the audit recommends increasing oversight, vetting relationships between brokers and landlords to prevent overpayment, and refusing to contract with property owners whose apartments amass hazardous violations. These measures could free up extra money to cover rents for more tenants.

The proposed changes are significant, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged to expand access to the program under a 2023 law approved by the City Council. However, some economists and budget watchdogs argue that expanding the program would require billions of dollars in additional rental assistance, while councilmembers and homeless rights advocates claim that the added cost will be offset by hundreds of millions of dollars in shelter savings.

As the city considers implementing these changes, officials are facing criticism from both sides. The Department of Social Services has disputed the report's findings, arguing that its oversight is effective, while Deputy Comptroller Tina Kim emphasizes the importance of improving efficiency and effectiveness in the program.

With the audit highlighting the potential for cost savings and improved oversight, New York City may finally take steps to address long-standing issues with its rental assistance program.

you know I've been around for a while now and seen how these programs work out I'm not surprised they found some inefficiencies in the NYC rental aid program it's like, when you're trying to help people out, sometimes the system can get a little messy but hey, at least someone is finally taking a closer look

I think increasing oversight and vetting relationships between brokers and landlords is a good start just make sure they're not gonna push back too hard, or it could end up like that one time I tried to help out my neighbor with their rent payment and let's be real, the city needs to save some cash so if they can free up extra money for more tenants, that's a win in my book

I'm not surprised by these findings at all. It's like, we're all just trying to help people out, but somehow it ends up being a huge mess. The whole system feels kinda broken. I mean, who wants to pay $112k in extra fees? Not me! And the fact that landlords were getting paid for paying off hazardous conditions? That's just crazy talk.

It's like, we need to find a way to make this program work, but also be smart about it. I'm all for improving oversight and vetting relationships between brokers and landlords. It makes sense. And maybe, just maybe, we can make some real changes without breaking the bank or hurting people who really need help.

The fact that both sides are criticizing each other now is kinda typical, though. We're always seeing different perspectives on these issues, but sometimes it feels like we're not looking at the bigger picture. I guess that's just part of the game, though.

I'm kinda surprised they're not addressing these issues sooner . I mean, it's great that there are efforts to improve oversight and prevent overpayment, but the fact that this audit had to be done in the first place is pretty concerning . What really gets me is that some landlords were getting up to $112k in extra fees just because tenants moved into units with hazardous conditions . That's just not right. And I feel bad for the families who have been affected by these issues - they're already struggling so much with housing costs and all that .

But hey, at least something's being done about it now . It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with the debate around expanding the program. I'm kinda torn on this one - on the one hand, I get why they want to expand access to housing support for more people; on the other hand, it does seem like there's a lot of money involved, and we gotta make sure that any changes are going to actually help people in the long run .

Oh man, I can feel how stressful this must be for all the people who are affected by the CityFHEPS program . It's like, they're trying to get back on their feet and provide a safe place to live, but there are still so many bureaucratic hurdles in the way . The fact that landlords are getting paid extra fees for units with hazardous conditions is just not right . And it's even more frustrating when you think about all the people who are struggling to make ends meet and can't afford rent at all .

I totally get why there's criticism from both sides, though . On one hand, you want to help as many people as possible, but on the other hand, you don't want to break the bank . I think the key is finding a balance and making sure that the program is run in a way that's fair and efficient . Maybe some of those proposed changes will be just what the doctor ordered?

The NYC Rental Aid Program needs a major overhaul! It's crazy that landlords are getting paid up to $112k in additional fees just because tenants moved into units with hazardous conditions . The audit's findings are a total game-changer, and I'm loving the proposed changes .

But let's get real, expanding access to this program would require some serious cash . I'm not sure if the added cost will be worth it, but at the end of the day, it's about giving people a place to call home . The city needs to find a way to make it work without breaking the bank .

I do think some economists and budget watchdogs are being super harsh on this issue . Expanding access to affordable housing is key to reducing homelessness, and I believe we need more programs like this .

One thing's for sure: the city needs to take these changes seriously and make some real progress . Maybe it's time for a total revamp of the program? Let's see what happens next!

I'm like "okay so I know we've been talking about how hard it is to find affordable housing in NYC" ... but did you see this audit on the rent aid program? It's crazy that landlords are getting paid up to $112k for units with hazardous conditions . Like, what even is that?! And the fact that they're not vetting relationships between brokers and landlords properly is wild too . I feel like we need better oversight to ensure everyone gets the help they need. It's good that the audit recommended some changes, but it's also frustrating when there are different opinions on how to move forward . Maybe we can learn from this and create a more efficient system? That would be amazing

idk why ppl r sayin the program needs 2 b expanded, it's already a waste of money . who cares bout the homeless rights crowd if it means dumpin extra cash on landlords w/ shady deals? and don't even get me started on the auditors bein all "oh we found some stuff, let's fix it" like they're just lookin 4 ways 2 justify their existens . i say just cut loose the problematic parts n get rid of 'em

omg i cant believe they're getting audited again like isnt this supposed to be a no-brainer how do they still mess it up? anyway i guess its good that theyre gonna make some changes, but billions of dollars is still a lot to swallow maybe they should just give more money to the people who need it instead of worrying about saving a buck and btw isnt this mayor supposed to be all about helping homeless ppl? seems like he's doing more harm than good

I'm not surprised by these findings at all... think about it, how many times have we heard of government programs being plagued by inefficiencies? It's crazy that the city was paying out tens of thousands of dollars in incentives to landlords for units with hazardous conditions! That just doesn't add up.

I do hope they implement these changes and start getting a better grip on the program. Expanding access to affordable housing is one thing, but it has to be done responsibly and effectively. The fact that some people are already arguing over whether the added cost will offset shelter savings... I think we need to get past the politics and focus on making sure everyone gets a fair shot at affordable housing.

Maybe this audit can serve as a wake-up call for the city, and they take some real steps towards reform. Only time will tell if their proposed changes will stick, but I'm rooting for it!

I'm totally stoked about this audit, tbh ! I mean, who doesn't love finding ways to optimize a program? The city's got some serious inefficiency going on, and it's awesome that they're taking steps to tackle it . The proposed changes are solid, imo – increasing oversight, vetting relationships between brokers and landlords... it's all about streamlining the process and making sure everyone's getting their fair share .

But I've gotta say, I'm also loving the nuance here . It's not just a case of "we need to change things!" – there are pros and cons on both sides of the argument . And hey, even if it means investing more upfront (think billions of dollars ), it could lead to huge long-term savings .

One thing that really caught my eye was the audit's discovery of those sweet, sweet $112k incentives . Like, what even is that? That's some serious mismanagement right there!

Anyway, I'm all for a little transparency and accountability in our city's programs . It's time to get this rental aid program in order and start making real progress . Bring it on!

Ugh, can't believe how messed up NYC's rent aid program is ! So they're finding out that landlords are getting paid way too much for taking in tenants who live in crappy units? Like what kind of incentives are we talking about here?! $112k for "hazardous conditions"?! That's insane . And the fact that some of these same properties have multiple violations just goes to show how lax the system is .

I get it, they're trying to help people in need, but can't they do better? Like, what if they just vetted these landlords before contracting with them?! It's not rocket science . And meanwhile, we're hearing from both sides that this audit's findings are a major deal-breaker . I just hope the city takes action to fix this mess and make sure everyone gets the help they need . Maybe it's time for some real oversight and accountability .

I wonder if these changes will actually make a difference, like, for real? I mean, it's great that they're trying to sniff out ways to save money and improve the program, but what about all the people who are still struggling to find stable housing? It feels like the system is already so broken, you know?

omg can u believe this? i mean, 60k households relying on this program is a huge deal but all these inefficiencies and overpayments are just insane! like what's the point of having auditors if they're not gonna dig deep enough? and yeah, it makes sense that some landlords would try to take advantage of the system... who wouldn't, right? but seriously, this is a huge opportunity for the city to improve the program and make sure everyone gets the help they need. and can we pls get some transparency around those billions of dollars in additional rental assistance? how's that gonna be funded exactly?

idk why we gotta make a big deal about this... they're just tryin' to fix some inefficiencies lol. like if i got rentaid for 1 year but the landlord didnt do nothin to fix my unit, that dont sound right . and $112k extra fees? that's wild . but at the same time, we gotta think about all those people who are struggling to find a place to live... maybe we should just throw more money at it instead of tryin' to cut costs?

I think it's crazy that landlords were getting up to $112k in extra fees and incentives after tenants moved into units with hazardous conditions Like, what is wrong with people? Shouldn't they be checking the safety of their properties before taking on tenants? And the fact that the city was paying rent for tenants moving into units because of previous violations just shows how outdated and inefficient the system is . The proposed changes to increase oversight and vet relationships between brokers and landlords are a good start, but we need more than just tweaks – we need a complete overhaul of this program

idk how the city can make this program work without breaking the bank lol. they need 2 improve overseen & vet relationships between brokers & landlords ASAP or ppl will just find ways 2 game the system . dont get me wrong, i feel 4 former homeless ppl who r struggling 2 pay rent, but we cant just throw money out the window like its goin 2 magically solve everythin . mayor mamdani needs 2 be realistic & consider the costs . maybe they cud look into public-private partnerships or get more funding from state & federal gov . either way, this audit's findings r a good starting point 4 change