MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy urges New York’s legislature to pass legislation to strengthen the child welfare preventive housing subsidy to reflect increased

540 Broadway Albany, NY 12207 Voice 518-463-1896 Fax 518-463-3364 www.scaany.org Kate Breslin President and CEO MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT S.5419-B/A.1777-B The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy urges New York’s legislature to pass legislation to strengthen the child welfare preventive housing subsidy to reflect increased housing costs and better address the needs of youth and families involved. [...] Schuyler Center strongly supports S.5419-B/A.1777-B to amend the Social Services Law (SSL) to 1) update the value of rent subsidies available to families involved in the child welfare system and youth exiting the child welfare system from $300 to $725, including annual increases based on calculations tied to inflation, and 2) extend the upper age limit that a young person exiting foster care can r. [...] Housing is critical to family stability and safety, and the child welfare housing subsidy is a vital support to families for whom unstable housing is a driving factor in their involvement in the child welfare system. [...] The goal of the child welfare housing subsidy program is to stabilize housing for families and prevent child removals, expedite reunification of children in foster care, and help youth aging out of foster care who face high risk of housing instability and homelessness. [...] The housing subsidy amount has not changed since the housing subsidy was created in 1988 (although the law was amended in 2019 to clarify that the subsidy can be used by families and youth living with roommates).