• Allowing Temporary Assistance (TA) eligibility interviews to be conducted by phone;
• Allowing TA recertification interviews to be conducted by phone;
• Allowing drug/alcohol and domestic violence screenings to be conducted over the phone;
• Extending domestic violence waivers;
• Enabling districts with local procedures or other processes that require frequent contact with individuals experiencing homelessness and residing in emergency housing to conduct these contacts via phone, with reduced frequency, as appropriate for the population; and
• Allowing temporary modifications to previously approved Case Supervisor Review (CSR) plans

• Waiver that provides for OTDA to suppress Income Savings Plan (ISP) notices, and DSS to apply good cause universally for clients who do not contribute to the savings plan.

• SNAP partial interview waiver; and
• Telephonic signature waiver for Cash Assistance and SNAP applications and recertifications conducted over the phone by HRA staff, which can also be used for State FHEPS applications.

• The 80% who get their refunds from the IRS through direct deposit will get these payments in their bank account on the 15th of every month until the end of 2021.
• People who don’t use direct deposit will receive their payment by mail around the same time.

1. DOHMH East Harlem Office, 158 East 115^th Street, Room 108, Manhattan
2. Dept. of Probation Office, 100 Centre Street, 14th Floor Office, Manhattan
3. HRA’s Manhattan CBIC Office, 12 West 14^th Street, 2^nd floor, Manhattan
4. Staten Island Dept. of Finance Office, 350 Saint Marks Place, Staten Island
5. Manhattan Dept. of Finance Office, 66 John Street, Manhatttan

1. Henry Street Settlement Center for public enrollments at 269 Henry Street in Manhattan. (limited capacity; by appointment only through September 3, 2021); Operating Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
2. Queen’s Borough President’s Office for public enrollments (limited capacity; by appointment only through August 26, 2021); Operating Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• If eligible, your household can receive:
• Up to $50/month discount on internet plans and equipment rentals. Internet service can be bundled with voice service.
• A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (you will need to pay a copay between $10 and $50)
• Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household.
• Households may be eligible if someone in the household:
• Lost their job or were furloughed, or
• Receives SNAP, Medicaid, or other benefits, or
• Meets income guidelines, or
• Goes to a school where they receive free or reduced-price lunch and breakfast
• You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible.
• If you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN), you can provide other documents.
• Applications will be received on a first come, first served basis.
• The benefit is temporary and will end when funding is exhausted or six months after the federal government declares an end to the pandemic, whichever happens first.
• Apply online to receive the benefit as soon as possible.

• Cash Assistance recipients are now able to request a case closure from the case change or emergency grants request page.
• Cash Assistance recipients are now able to complete a substance abuse and domestic violence services screening as part of the online Cash Assistance recertification submission through ACCESS HRA. This is new functionality for recertifications only. New Cash Assistance applicants are already able to do this. 
• Victims of domestic violence and those who request the security mode on ACCSS HRA can now submit Cash Assistance case changes, emergency grant applications and case closings and no address information will be displayed online.
• Cash Assistance clients can now enter their utility account number online during an application or recertification.
• The Benefit Payments page now displays all payments covering the past year rather than by issuance date.
• For all application types, a new link has been added to the summary PDF and confirmation email that will bring clients to the SNAP and Cash Assistance FAQ pages where they can learn about options for returning required documents.
• The “Profile” page now allows SNAP, Cash Assistance and Fair Fares NYC clients to update their mailing address to an address that is outside of New York City.
• The list of spoken languages that a client can select has been updated to include additional language options.

• Fair Fares NYC will now send replacement Fair Fares Metrocards to a GPO address. 
• For Fair Fares Metrocards that are lost or stolen within 15 days of the end of the participant’s current enrollment date, the system will now send a message that a new card will not be sent.
• The Fair Fares NYC residency required documents section has been updated to provide clarity on what types of documentation are required as proof of New York City residency.

• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or “qualified alien” as defined by federal law. There is no requirement for the decedent to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or “qualified alien”.
• FEMA must be able to verify the applicant’s identity.
• Funeral expenses must be incurred by the applicant after January 20, 2020.
• A medical examiner, coroner, or other certifier indicated that COVID-19 played a role in the decedent’s death on the death certificate.
• Applicants may also submit a statement or letter from the death certificate’s certifying official, medical examiner or coroner that attributes the death to COVID-19 for fatalities that occurred between January 20, 2020 through May 16, 2020.
• The death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
• No other applicant received Funeral Assistance funds for the same decedent.

• All ​New Yorkers are encouraged​to apply for benefits​, regardless of immigration status. 
• Non-citizen parents ARE able to apply for their ​US citizen children.
• Clients do NOT need to be Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) to qualify for benefits. Many different immigration statuses allow for certain benefits eligibility. Each case is assessed individually and in consideration of all available documents and information.
• HRA provides​free language services for any language a client may need (including sign language), so all clients are welcome and encouraged to apply for benefits regardless of their preferred language.  
• DSS produces documents in the following 12 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. One of the ways that clients can indicate their language preference for written notices is through AccessHRA.
• When submitting a benefits application, clients should include any and all documents that they think may be relevant to their immigration status. This includes documents​ that are expired, and documents issued from other countries. 
• Copies of documents should be legible and complete, including front and back of cards, forms, and passports (including blank pages of passports).
• If clients do not have their immigration documents or have concerns relating to public charge issues, they should contact ActionNYC at 1-800-354-0365 or call 311 and say "ActionNYC" for further assistance.
• The State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is available to all persons in New York regardless of immigration status. For more information, please visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/Emergency-Rental-Assistance/.
• Resources providing an overview of non-citizen benefits eligibility can be found at the following websites:
• https://otda.ny.gov/programs/publications/4579.pdf
• https://www.nyic.org/immigrant-eligibility-for-public-benefits-chart/
• However, we encourage clients to apply for benefits regardless of immigration status and to allow HRA to make the benefits eligibility determination.
• If you have any concerns that an error has been made in a client’s benefits eligibility related to their immigration status, please contact the DSS Office of Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (ORIA) at oria@dss.nyc.gov for assistance.

• Housing and rental relief emails
• Social media posts for renters and homeowners
• Videos in both English and Spanish
• Printed handouts in both English and Spanish