ALBANY, NY – A new measure introduced in the New York State Assembly seeks to make migrant youth under the age of 25 eligible for housing vouchers through the state’s Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS) program, extending assistance to one of the state’s most vulnerable populations.
Assembly Bill 503, sponsored by Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, would amend Section 131-bb of the Social Services Law to ensure that young migrants receiving runaway and homeless youth services can access FHEPS housing vouchers. The proposal mirrors Senate Bill 168 and is part of the 2025–2026 legislative session.
The bill would require that vouchers be made available to eligible runaway and homeless youth under 25 who are receiving or have received services under Section 532-d of the Executive Law. It provides for full rent coverage for undocumented youth and partial rent support for documented youth who have stable employment, as determined by the commissioner of social services.
Under the measure, local social services districts with populations exceeding five million — notably New York City — would administer the expanded program in accordance with existing state and federal housing regulations. The maximum rent covered under the vouchers would align with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fair market rent levels.
The legislation directs the state to reimburse local social services districts for payments made under the expanded FHEPS program, ensuring that local governments are not financially burdened by the inclusion of migrant youth.
The FHEPS program currently assists low-income families facing eviction or homelessness by subsidizing rent to keep them stably housed. This bill would broaden that support to include young migrants and former homeless youth, reflecting growing concern over housing insecurity among undocumented and recently arrived individuals in New York.
Assembly Bill 503 takes effect immediately upon enactment, providing immediate access to rent relief for eligible migrant youth in need of stable housing.
Assembly Bill 503 expands New York’s FHEPS housing voucher program to include migrant youth under 25 receiving runaway and homeless youth services.