New York offers migrants $4,000 to leave city shelters: how it works

NEW YORK – New York City is offering 150 migrant families $4,000 to leave city shelters.

The grants are expected to help them find a permanent place to live.

The Enhanced One-Shot Deals (EOSD) program established by the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services has as its primary goal “to assist homeless working families in the shelter system to leave the shelter and return to independent living.”

These grants are one-time payments made to help families exit the system.

To be eligible for an “enhanced one-shot,” a person must be in the shelter system for at least 60 days and have a monthly gross income.

How much do immigrants cost to New York?

The daily rate for a household with only one migrant is $5 more than previously mentioned in 2023.

According to Social Services, it currently costs about $388 per day for New York City to house and care for a single migrant family.

These costs add up rather quickly when you consider that more than 64,000 asylum seekers remain in the city’s care as of October 2024.

Last year, as the city approached the arrival of 100,000 asylum seekers (now more than 180,000), New York Mayor Eric Adams warned of the costs if state and federal governments did not take swift action.

The federal government has allocated about $156 million for the current immigration crisis, but the city says it has only received about a third of that funding ($49 million).

City Budget Director Jacques Jiha cited overly burdensome application requirements needed to receive the aid.

How to qualify for financial assistance

To obtain an EOSD, applicants must first find an apartment they can afford with their current income. They must also have a current Public Assistance case, according to the Coalition for the Homeless website.

In most cases, you will also need to have a monthly gross income (before taxes) equal to or greater than the following thresholds:

Family of 1 person: $1,440

Family of 2: $1,620

Family of 3: $1,890

Family of 4: $1,980

Family of 5: $2,250

Family of 6: $2,430

Family of 7: $2,520

Family of 8: $2,700

It is still possible to qualify for an EOSD based on income and affordability of the desired apartment.

The grant will also assist with all of the following items:

• Security bonus
• Broker’s fee (1/2 month’s rent)
• Furniture allowance
• Storage fees
• Moving expenses

Documents required to qualify

Applications must be processed by shelter staff, case managers, or housing specialists and submitted to the Department of Homeless Services’ Client Resource Office.

The following documents are also required to qualify for EOSD:

• Copy of lease or landlord request letter (included in application package) stating what is needed to move in
• Copy of deed, water bill or utility bill showing owner’s ownership
• Employment verification (pay stubs from the last 30 days or employment letter)
• Contribution letter detailing how much you can contribute, if applicable
• Copy of check or money order to the owner for the amount of the contribution, if applicable
• Broker’s application letter (included in application package)
• Current copy of the broker’s license

By 2023, Mayor Adams said the city would end up spending more on migrants than on the Fire, Parks and Sanitation departments combined.

He also introduced instant response cards, claiming that prepaid cards would end up saving the city money.

For more information, visit the Coalition for the Homeless.