She had gathered her two children and one grandchild and fled from her abusive husband in Texas, leaving behind her $50,000-a-year career as a nurse and the comfortable lifestyle it afforded. It took “forever” to process her food stamps application in her new home, she said.
“It takes 900 years for them to say you don’t have this piece of paper,” said Ms. J., who lives in Kips Bay and wanted to remain anonymous because of ongoing struggles to receive public benefits. Food stamp applicants have to supply extensive documentation about work, education resources and more. Those eligible generally have gross incomes of 130 percent of the poverty line – totaling annual income of $22,332 for a household of three – or less. Processing is done by the city’s Human Resources Administration (HRA).
Ms. J still uses food stamps as she now raises two grandchildren and is disabled from a work-related injury. She has to recertify for food stamps every several months. “The process seems to take just as long" as it did the first time, she said.
Ms. J is not just exaggerating. Many applications are not being processed within 30 days of the application date, or five days for the neediest applicants, although these time frames are mandated by state and federal law. A court settlement approved by U.S. District Court Judge Robert W. Sweet on April 16 orders an end to such noncompliance for applications filed at non-cash assistance (NCA) centers, effective immediately. With the number of NCA food stamp applicants ratcheting up – HRA reports a 9.4 percent increase between March 2007 and March 2008– this settlement couldn’t be timelier.
Filed by the New York Legal Assistance Group, the Urban Justice Center, and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ) in June 2004, the class-action suit Williston v. Eggleston culminated with the state agreeing to supervise the city’s compliance. Not only will the city provide detailed quarterly reports of application processing at each NCA food stamp center, but the federal court has continuing jurisdiction for four years and can extend this period if the city fails to comply with the provisions of the settlement. In addition, the city must post and maintain signs in food stamp centers informing the public of their right to apply for food stamps and the time frames for processing the applications.
“The city and state have taken this issue seriously and displayed commitment to getting the benefits that families need. Nothing is more fundamental than nutrition,” said Lynn Lu, staff attorney at NCLEJ.
Additionally, food stamps are funded by federal money – and localities are always eager to employ federal funding rather than local dollars where possible.
When asked what caused the delays in processing applications, HRA spokeswoman Barbara Brancaccio pointed to increased workload while HRA was transitioning into more effective ways of processing applications, which were completely implemented in February. The increased workload was caused by HRA’s recent initiatives of shortening applications, extending hours at food stamp centers, and streamlining services and installing information kiosks at food stamp offices in Model Job centers, Brancaccio said.
