NYC Council Introduction 443

intro.nyc/0443-2026 2026-2029 Legislative Session
Requiring the department of homeless services to designate eligibility specialists at shelters.
Status: Committee Committee on General Welfare
Sponsored by Althea V. Stevens
Introduced: January 29, 2026

This bill would require the Department of Homeless Services to ensure that eligibility specialists are available at every shelter to assist residents with determining eligibility for public assistance benefits. The Department would have to maintain eligibility specialists at a ratio of 1 per every 25 adult shelter residents, create a training program for eligibility specialists, and assess the performance of eligibility specialists. The bill would also make clarifying amendments to the same chapter of the Administrative Code by redesignating two sections with duplicate numbers.