New York’s defender organizations are calling for a timely simplification of the city’s HRA benefits process amidst the COVID-19 crisis, which has left an overwhelmed, understaffed system struggling to respond, as reported by the New York Daily News.

Many applicants have reported being unable to connect with the error-prone app through which they are meant to submit their claim, resulting in widespread confusion and concern. Other problems – such as checks being sent to the wrong address – have raised questions about what can be done to expedite the process and ensure that New Yorkers receive the benefits they need.

“People need access to basic subsistence-level benefits,” Legal Aid Society’s Katie Kelleher told the New York Daily News. “They need to be able to feed their families and they can’t do it because of the delays and access problems that they face from HRA.”