Dear Donna Financial Advice Column #1 Help with NYC Public Assistance 12/1/15

Dear Donna Financial Advice Column #1
By Donna Lee
(I am not a certified financial planner but a financial coach and I cannot offer any investment advice by law.)

Q1—What do I do if I’m having trouble with my public assistance/human resources/welfare/food stamps (SNAP-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) worker/ decisions?

A1—Although I don’t advise people to try to use public assistance as a relatively permanent financial solution, I realize that sometimes many people need their services; that’s why those services are available. I have personally made good use of these services over the past two decades in cases of emergency and have learned my way around them.

So, should you find yourself involved with a public assistance worker and you feel that your case has been delayed too long or if you are having other issues with your worker (public assistance workers are supposed to give you a decision within 30 days of the completion of your application for a one-shot-deal for rent arrears, which you can get once each calendar year, i.e., if you get one on September 15, 2015, you are eligible to get another on or after September 15, 2016, if you have good reason for the arrears like medical emergencies or some other expenses, and which you can only get once you are in an eviction proceeding with your landlord and can afford to pay your rent in the future and can document this among other requirements or for monies to pay your electric bill [all of which monies you may have to pay back over time, although you can get a hardship waiver that can exempt you from having to do this too under certain circumstances], and you are calling your worker and s/he does not have answers for you within the 30 days allowed them, then you can call the Office of Constituent Services at (212) 331-4640 or (212) 331-4627. The best hours to call are between 10 am and 4 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday. You can also ask them how to apply for some of the above at home (anyone can apply for SNAP/food stamps at home) which you can complete totally in your home and they will deliver the payments to your landlord or the electric company for you once they approve you but you must have a letter from a medical doctor or other medical professional on her/his letterhead that is dated no more than 30 days previously describing why you are unable to go to a center to apply.

If you do not get help from that number, ask for a supervisor there. Failing that, call the next day and you may get a different, more responsive worker. If that doesn’t work, call the following supervisor’s number there the next day: (718) 262-3571.

Once you speak with a worker at the Office of Constituent Services and s/he agrees to contact your worker, your worker generally has 14 days (I don’t think this includes weekends) to respond to you or the Office of Constituent Services before the latter can contact your worker again. Usually, once the OCS hears from your worker, they will call you or have your worker call you. Don’t neglect to write down all names of people you speak with, phone numbers you called, dates and times of day of calls, and reference/confirmation numbers given by the workers/advocates and put that information in a safe place for further reference.

If you like or if you feel anxious about the outcome of OSC calling your worker on your behalf and you have not heard from either your worker or the OSC after 7 days (including weekends) then call the OSC with the reference/confirmation number they have given you again to ask for news. It never hurts to follow-up with anyone after a reasonable amount of time after you have made a request, or not received a response, even with family members and friends! Remember to be polite but firm ;)!

I wish you all success with achieving your constructive financial goals!