Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum released a new report which shows that the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) is frequently in error when it takes actions such as denying applications for public benefits or sanctioning low-income clients. The report charges that HRA may be too aggressive in taking such actions, at a great cost to the city.
In New York State, welfare recipients have the right to challenge the termination or denial of public benefits in a court proceeding, or 'fair hearing'--the cost of which is shared by the state and local district. Since 2000, HRA has been charged $58.6 million for these hearings, yet its actions have rarely been affirmed by judges.
Public Advocate Gotbaum said: "If HRA would address the many barries between eligible low-income New Yorkers and the public benefits they deserve, a significant number of these hearings could be avoided."
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