City Officials Grilled on Staffing Needs Amid Public Benefit Processing ‘Crisis’
If an increased demand for food and cash assistance has made it difficult for New York City to process applications on time, how many staff would it take to keep up?
Members of the New York City Council asked this question repeatedly during a lengthy hearing Wednesday, dissatisfied with a lack of detail or historical context from Department of Social Services (DSS) officials.
The interrogation came on the heels of new data showing processing delays the likes of which New Yorkers haven’t seen in at least a decade—39.7 percent of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications processed on time, and just 28.8 percent of applications for cash assistance, which can cover necessities including rent.
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