Discrimination, Scarcity Still Barriers for Homeless Looking for Housing

Homeless New Yorkers looking to use rental assistance vouchers to move out of city shelters are still struggling with discrimination by landlords, insufficient funding and a perpetually tight housing market, according to interviews with care providers and city officials.

While providers have applauded Mayor Bill de Blasio for expanding voucher funding early in his administration, a number of factors are making it difficult for qualifying adults and families to use the vouchers to find apartments, causing clients to spend longer times in shelter than necessary. That is contributing to record numbers of New Yorkers in shelter amid an intractable homelessness crisis in New York City.