Data Brief: HELP Leads Sector with key Recommendations on Addressing Systemic Barriers to Housing Subsidies Drives Changes at Department of Social Services (DSS); Housing Placements Surge!

In this brief, HELP Research analyzed the housing voucher process among the long-term stayer (LTS) population at HELP USA to identify and resolve bottlenecks in the service delivery system that prevent them from securing housing placements (n=139).

We found that 47% of these cases were stuck in processes under the jurisdiction of the Human Resources Administration (HRA) & Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).


HELP USA presented these findings to the Department of Social Services (DSS) to discuss the bottlenecks at each stage. Meeting attendees agreed that HELP would provide details on select cases to HRA to resolve issues occurring in them.

DSS subsequently moved 34 of the 43 cases we provided past respective bottlenecks, which resulted in 22 permanent housing placements. Escalations of other cases are ongoing. The brief further details recommendations that HELP USA provided HRA to address systemic challenges and expedite housing placements.

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