Community Voices Heard

In December of 2001, over 76,000 New York State families receiving public assistance were set to reach their five-year time limits on federal public assistance. Of these, over 40,000 were based in New York City. An additional, 26,232 New York City families were to reach their time limits by September 2002. From October 2000 to March 2001, Community Voices Heard administered a survey to 595 individuals at over 30 welfare centers around the City, in an effort to evaluate the services and information they were receiving in advance of the time limits. This report documents the findings from this research, including a look at confusion among clients of the system as to what the time limits actually mean, challenges of accessing vital programs and supports, inefficient application processes and unjust sanction practices, and benefit loss that drives families deeper into poverty.