Thursday's state court decision greenlights much-needed housing assistance reforms for New Yorkers

NEW YORK - Yesterday, on July 10, 2025, a state appeals court ruled that New York City must implement a package of laws to expand access to rental subsidies for New Yorkers facing homelessness or eviction. These now-mandated provisions, included as part of the CityFHEPS (Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement) program, come as a hard-fought victory for the New York City Council, legal and housing advocates. Most importantly, it is a victory for New Yorkers experiencing poverty, crisis or housing insecurity who are now empowered with another tool at their disposal to live life on their own terms in the face of policies that perpetuate housing injustice.

Below is a statement from Abby Biberman, Associate Director of NYLAG's Public Benefits Unit:

"New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) commends the Appellate Division First Department for its unanimous and decisive ruling on these critical reforms to the CityFHEPS program. This is a landmark decision and resounding win for housing justice and a powerful affirmation of the Council's legislative role in addressing our city's homelessness, eviction and cost of living crises. By reversing the lower court's decision, the court has cleared the path for long-overdue reforms that remove unnecessary barriers to rental assistance, expand eligibility to those at risk of eviction and enable CityFHEPS to meet the current needs of low-income New Yorkers.

"These reforms - Local Laws 99 through 102 - are a compassionate, pragmatic and urgently-needed response to the housing insecurity affecting thousands of our neighbors. We now urge the Adams administration to promptly comply with the court's clear order and act in good faith to implement these laws by submitting the expansion plan to the State for approval. Every day of delay is a missed opportunity to prevent homelessness and provide stability for families in need of relief.

"This ruling is more than a legal victory. It is a moral one. It sends a clear message: New York City must prioritize people over bureaucracy and ensure that housing is treated as a human right."

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Photo: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit

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