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Binghamton, NY – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today sounded the alarm on New York City Mayor Adams’s plan to move homeless individuals to Upstate New York.

To address New York City’s homeless crisis, on September 26 the City declared that its City Fighting Homeless and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) rental assistance vouchers would be valid for use across New York State. These lucrative City-issued vouchers are attached to market distorting landlord incentives that will undercut locally issued vouchers. If applied to Upstate New York, local residents in need of housing will be at a severe disadvantage when competing against downstaters for housing.

In a letter, Rep. Molinaro called on Mayor Adams to rescind this action immediately, and highlighted counties like Broome County who have blocked NYC vouchers over fears that they would cause the local homeless population to spike.

Rep. Molinaro said, “New York City has a plan to move its homeless population to Upstate New York by allowing lucrative City-issued vouchers to be used in our communities. This scheme will give downstaters the upper hand in the rental market, squeeze out local residents, and inevitably lead to a spike in homelessness. I’m fighting back. The City needs to stop exporting its challenges to our communities. There’s absolutely no legal or logical reason to allow New York City to do this.”

The full text of Rep. Molinaro’s letter can be found here:

Dear Mayor Adams,

I urge you to rescind your illegal and unjust effort to transfer city funded housing vouchers to Upstate New York. This attempt to expand your voucher program into Upstate New York is a short-sighted decision that will only push New York’s City’s problems into my constituent’s communities, where many already grapple with their own lack of affordable housing. Additionally, you have no legal standing as a mayor of a city to expand your city’s housing vouchers outside your jurisdiction. First you sent migrants to our communities after initially inviting them, and this is the latest action of overreach. You can no longer outsource New York City’s problems to Upstate New York.

On September 26, 2023, your administration took the unprecedented action of unilaterally declaring that City Fighting Homeless and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) rental assistance vouchers would be valid for use across all New York State counties. This action stretches far beyond your authority as mayor of a single municipality and demonstrates complete disregard for Upstate New York residents. Lack of affordable housing is by no means a problem unique to New York City, and this policy only serves to sweep our limited affordable housing supply out from under the feet of Upstate New Yorkers.

Beyond the lack of affordable housing that counties in my district already face, CityFHEPS vouchers come with a different landlord incentive structure that will undercut local systems. These incentives include up to 3 months’ rent up front, brokerage bonuses, and unit hold bonuses. Residents in need of housing assistance with a locally issued voucher will be at a severe disadvantage when competing for apartments, and these incentives could even lead to the displacement of longtime tenants as a result of landlords trying to take advantage of the more lucrative opportunity. Simply put, this decision will distort local rent markets, put residents in harm’s way, and exacerbate homelessness for Upstate New York.

In recent weeks, Broome County and others across Upstate New York have issued emergency orders prohibiting the use of CityFHEPS vouchers within their jurisdiction. I advise you to heed these orders as evidence that you have no authority to carry out this expansion and to rescind this poorly thought-out policy that would unfairly displace Upstate residents. While I am confident that bipartisan coordination, planning, and principled decision making can lead to a housing plan that benefits all residents of New York State, this policy is a poor display of governance that unfairly punishes my constituents.