The Legal Aid Society, New York Legal Assistance Group, and Dechert LLP announced a landmark settlement in Forest v. the City of New York, a lawsuit brought against the City of New York for failing to process applications and recertifications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cash Assistance (CA) within the 30-day timeframe required by federal and state law.

Under the terms of the settlement, the Human Resources Administration (HRA) agreed to a series of concrete, enforceable reforms designed to fix long-standing problems in how SNAP and Cash Assistance benefits are delivered to New Yorkers in need. The reforms will help hundreds of thousands of low-income New Yorkers receive the food and cash aid they are entitled to more quickly, reliably, and with fewer administrative barriers.

“For too long, low-income New Yorkers have been forced to wait—sometimes for months—for the food and cash benefits that federal and state law guarantee them,” said Emily Lundgren, an attorney with Legal Aid’s Civil Law Reform Unit. “This settlement finally holds the City accountable and ensures that families can access life-sustaining benefits without facing unnecessary red tape, technical barriers, or bureaucratic neglect.”