Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image Credit: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office.
The federal government proposed a rule that would bar mixed-immigration status families from accessing rental subsidies. On July 9, 2019, the de Blasio Administration announced that it submitted formal comments to the federal government in opposition to a proposed rule that would result in eviction of thousands of New Yorkers from federally-assisted housing based on the tenants’ immigration status.
The controversial rule would eliminate housing agencies’ ability to serve families with mixed immigration status, where at least one person in the family is eligible for HUD program and another is not. Under current HUD guidelines, mixed-status households can access rental subsidies, which are prorated to cover only the eligible members of the household. However, under the newly proposed rule, mixed-status households would be completely barred from accessing affordable and public housing resources, including Section 8 vouchers. It is predicted that the rule change would impact approximately 11,400 New Yorkers, including nearly 5,000 children.
Mayor de Blasio voiced a passionate opposition to a proposed rule, stating that “The Trump Administration wants to make kids homeless and call it immigration policy.” Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been had similar thoughts, saying that “Denying more than 11,000 New Yorkers access to affordable and public housing is unacceptable” and that “the City government will work to keep these families in their homes.” Mayor de Blasio’s opposition to the proposed rule also received support from Louise Carroll who is the Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, as well as from Bitta Mostofi, who is Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Click here to read formal comments submitted by the de Blasio Administration in opposition to the proposed rule.
By: Filip Cukovic (Filip is a CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2021).