On Friday, Mayor Adams’ administration reached a court agreement mandating the city to establish measures that ensure the swift processing of SNAP applications. This development follows the heightened scrutiny low-income food benefits faced during this autumn’s federal shutdown.
This settlement concludes a class-action lawsuit filed against Adams’ administration in 2023, compelling the city to revamp its application procedures so that legitimate food benefit requests are processed within a 30-day timeframe.
Similar assurances are extended to cash assistance applications, which, like SNAP claims, have historically been delayed under Adams’ tenure.
“New Yorkers with low incomes have endured excessive waiting periods—sometimes spanning months—for the food and cash benefits that federal and state laws entitle them to,” stated Emily Lundgren from the Legal Aid Society, who spearheaded the class-action suit leading to this settlement. “This agreement finally holds the city responsible, ensuring families receive essential benefits without needless bureaucratic hurdles, technical glitches, or administrative inattention.”
The settlement mandates several reforms, including imposing strict waiting time limits for call-in interviews used to determine eligibility for SNAP and cash assistance. Moreover, it ensures the right to an in-person interview for those who request it and offers same-day callback options for applicants unable to answer during an eligibility screening.
Furthermore, the court-sanctioned agreement obligates the city to “modernize” its online application systems to facilitate easier document uploads. Staff at the Human Resources Administration responsible for processing benefits are required to undergo “updated training” on “new procedures, client communication, and technology use,” aimed at enhancing service quality and minimizing errors, according to the settlement.
In addition to Legal Aid, the case that prompted the settlement was brought by New York Legal Assistance Group and Manhattan-based law firm Dechert.
Spokesmen for the mayor did not immediately return a request for comment on the settlement.
The lawsuit that prompted the settlement came after Adams’ administration struggled for years to comply with SNAP and cash assistance processing requirements, with more than half of applications at one point not being addressed within the requisite 30-day window. The Adams administration said the lags were caused by high demand for the benefits that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The settlement also comes after President Trump’s administration tried to cut off SNAP benefits altogether during the federal government shutdown between October and November.
The benefits are funded with federal dollars but processed and distributed by local governments.
