NY announces $32 million to temporarily house people facing addiction and homelessness

ALBANY – New York will distribute more than $3.2 million in rental subsidies to eligible landlords as part of a pilot program to help people with addictions leave residential treatment programs and correctional facilities and reintegrate them into the community.
The State Office of Substance Abuse Services and Supports (OASAS) said Friday that the Transitional Support Unit initiative will provide short-term housing and case management services to people leaving treatment programs. OASAS-certified residential or correctional facilities who are at risk of homelessness.
“A safe place to live is one of the most important factors in staying healthy, especially for people with a history of addiction,” said OAAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham. “But it’s a sad reality that many people affected by addiction struggle to find housing that supports their health. OASAS is committed to providing safe and supportive housing to all in New York State who need it, and we will continue to work to provide New Yorkers with the assistance needed to successfully stay healthy. .
New York received funding for the program as part of a block grant made available to all 50 states under the American Rescue Plan Act.
Up to $1.44 million in rental subsidies are available to landlords in the first year of the program, and $1.8 million are available in the second year. Qualifying landlords may receive subsidies for up to two units (studio or one bedroom) that are set at the county-level fair market rent or actual cost of rent, whichever is lower.
Eligibility information is available here.
The goal, OASAS said, is to provide short-term housing support while helping people transition into permanent housing. Although the funding is for housing subsidies only, housing providers will still have to provide housing services with standard support services — such as case management — to tenants, the agency said.
Assemblyman Phil Steck, who chairs the Assembly’s Substance Abuse Committee, said access to reliable and safe housing is a key part of the recovery process.
“Releasing a vulnerable person to the streets dramatically increases the likelihood of them relapsing,” he said, “therefore we have a moral obligation to provide those who are recovering with the tools they need. needed to be successful”.
New Yorkers struggling with addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help by calling the state’s toll-free 24/7 hotline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369).