The Legal Aid Society is praising new laws that expand eligibility criteria for the CityFHEPS rental assistance program to include young people aging out of foster care and runaway and homeless youth, as reported by The Imprint.

The first bill requires that the Department of Social Services (DSS) count time a young person spent in runaway and homeless youth shelter services when determining such youth’s eligibility for rental assistance when such eligibility is dependent on having spent time residing in the city shelter system.

The second requires DSS to count time spent in foster care when determining a youth’s eligibility for rental assistance. Eligibility would be limited to those 24 years old or younger. Together, the bills will transform access to permanent housing for thousands of youth experiencing homelessness and youth in foster care across New York City.

Theresa Moser of The Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice lauded the new legislation. “Our clients have waited many years to obtain access to City rental assistance and we are proud to have worked with young leaders, Council Member Levin, and other advocates to ensure the promise of meaningful permanent housing access became a reality,” she said.