DSS-HRA-DHS Updates
Community Partners Calls
If you were not able to join our last our SNAP ABAWD call or quarterly call, below find the recordings:
Information Session on Federal SNAP Changes, December 8th, 2025: Please find an audio recording here and use Passcode: *b6L$rkU to listen.
Quarterly Call, December 9, 2025: Please find an audio recording here and Passcode: 4dcd$4S& to listen.
Community Partners Updates
Important updates as well as an ongoing synopsis of the information shared in prior communications are on the DSS Community Updates page. We encourage you to use and share this link to answer questions on the many topics we have covered.
Anyone interested in being added to the list of invitees for our community call, community updates communications, relevant resources, and agency updates can sign up here.
Reinstatement of the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Time Limit Waiver
As a reminder, New York State was informed that the ABAWD waiver was terminated by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) as of November 2, 2025. Litigation in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island has blocked that termination, and as such, New York’s ABAWD waiver for all counties of the State except Saratoga remains in effect until February 28, 2026.
HRA will continue to screen SNAP applicants and recipients for applicable exemptions from SNAP work requirements and/or an exemption from the ABAWD time limit.
Some clients may have received the ABAWD Work Activity Letter (FIA-1021k) prior to the reinstatement of the ABAWD Time Limit Waiver. All existing appointments scheduled using this letter can be continued. However, the ABAWD’s compliance with the appointment for the offer of an ABAWD qualifying work activity is not mandatory as a matter of eligibility, and failure to appear will not result in conciliation or the imposition of a SNAP sanction. ABAWDs who attend these appointments will be made aware of the new waiver termination date and that tracked months for failure to comply with the ABAWD requirement would not begin until March 2026. This appointment is separate and apart from any other mandatory work activity appointments or assignments given as part of the individual’s Cash Assistance work assignment or SNAP E&T work assignment.
The related OTDA GIS can be accessed here.
For additional details on ABAWD work requirements, please see the ABAWD webpages maintained by NYS OTDA and NYC DSS.
Community providers can sign up for training webinars on ABAWD SNAP Work Requirements here.
CBO Partnership Pathways for Community Service and Volunteer Engagement Opportunities
If your Community-Based Organization or agency is interested in partnering with HRA to offer community service or voluntary engagement opportunities to support cash assistance and SNAP recipients’ compliance with work requirements, please complete the CBO Provider Inquiry Form linked below. This form allows us to assess your program’s capacity, structure, and readiness so we can route you to the appropriate provider pathway: the Community Service Provider (CSP) track for high-touch organizations that can support structured, compliance-driven service activities, or the Self-Enrolled Voluntary Service Provider (SEVSP) track for light-touch programs offering voluntary, small-scale opportunities. Your submission enables our team to determine the correct pathway and ensure you receive the appropriate guidance and next steps. CBOs interested in being considered should begin by completing the inquiry form which can be accessed here.
City of New York’s Statement on Public Charge
On November 19, 2025, the federal administration announced a proposed rule change to “public charge.” The proposed change is not currently in effect.
The City of New York has issued a statement condemning the proposed rule, and affirming our commitment to serving all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status.
We strongly condemn this proposed public charge rule, especially as immigrants increasingly face challenges to their due process.
The proposed rule would eliminate existing guidance for federal immigration officials, giving them broad discretion to deny an immigrant the opportunity to adjust their status if they use public benefits. It would allow federal officials to make rulings based on the likelihood of an immigrant’s future use of public benefits.
By the federal government’s own admission, this proposed rule will reduce access to public benefits, worsen health outcomes, and continue an anti-immigrant agenda.
Immigrant New Yorkers are essential to the city’s strength and future, and policies like this undermine the wellbeing of families who are vital to our communities and economy. All New Yorkers deserve access to health care, affordable food, and safe housing. We are monitoring the situation closely. We remain committed to serving every New Yorker, regardless of immigration or insurance status.
The City will continue to update New Yorkers as new developments unfold. If you have questions now, visit the Public Charge webpage or call MOIA’s Immigration Legal Hotline at 1-800-354-0365, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., to access timely and trusted information and connections to City-funded, free, and safe immigration legal help.
2025-2026 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Regular Component, HERR, and Emergency Benefit Opening Date Updates
After a prior postponement, the 2025-2026 Regular Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit opened on Monday, December 1, 2025, and will operate through April 7, 2026, or until funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first. HRA will notify community partners of any program operation date changes.
The Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement (HERR) benefit for the 2025-2026 HEAP season opened for new applications on December 11. HERR benefits are available to assist HEAP eligible households with the cost to repair or replace the applicant’s primary heating equipment. For the 2025-2026 program year, HERR benefits will be limited to applicants aged 60 or older at the time of application who own their own home where the heating equipment that requires repair or replacing is located. The heating equipment must have been documented by a participating vendor to be inoperable or unsafe, and in need of repair and/or replacement.
The 2025-2026 Emergency HEAP benefit is scheduled to open on January 2, 2026. If clients are eligible, the Emergency HEAP Benefit can help heat the home if the client experiences a heat or heat-related emergency. If regular component benefits are available for an eligible household, they must be used first to resolve heating emergencies. One Emergency benefit of each type is available per HEAP household for the 2025-2026 program year. Temporary relocation for housing emergencies and propane tank deposits to obtain new propane vendors are also available under the Emergency benefit component.
For additional details and how to apply, visit the HEAP webpages maintained by NYC DSS and NYS OTDA.
Birth Allowance for Beginning Year (Baby) Benefit
As of November 5, 2025, Cash Assistance (CA) participants will be awarded a one-time payment of $1800 when a newborn is added to their existing CA case within 90 days of the birth. This benefit will be issued as an unrestricted cash benefit on the client’s EBT card once the child is added to the case.
If multiple babies are born (e.g., twins, triplets, etc.), a payment of $1800 will be made for each newborn.
To receive this benefit, the household must meet the following requirements:
- The baby must have been born on or after November 5, 2025
- The individual or family receiving ongoing Cash Assistance must submit a case change and provide all required documentation to add the baby or babies to the case, including:
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- Verification of citizenship
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- Application for a social security number
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- Cooperation by the parent with child support enforcement (if appropriate)
Please note that individuals must have been receiving ongoing Cash Assistance at the time of birth to receive the Baby benefit. Applying for CA after the baby’s birth does not then qualify the individual to receive the Baby benefit. Emergency assistance (e.g., the One-Shot Deal) is not considered ongoing CA.
The payment will be paid to any CA participant with a newborn added to their already active case, including a Social Security Income (SSI) parent, grandparent, relative caretaker, sanctioned parent, non-citizen parent, etc.
Clients will be notified of the payment via the notification of payment (EBT-23) notice.
Additional Notes:
- The $1800 will not be used to calculate total income of the client for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
- Applicable clients in Residential Treatment Centers (Center 52) will receive this benefit payment as a check.
For more information or to read the full policy, click here.
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Survey
On the night of Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the NYC Department of Social Services will conduct the 21st annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Survey – and NYC needs your help.
HOPE is a point-in-time survey undertaken each winter to estimate the number of New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness on one of the coldest nights of the year. The results gathered through this survey provide the City with valuable information that helps better inform the allocation of resources to address homelessness in the city.
Volunteers conduct the HOPE survey by canvassing streets, parks, subways, and other public spaces, and are needed from approximately 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on the night of January 27. Just a few hours of your time will help ongoing efforts to support New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness and encourage them to take that first important step to come off the streets and subways and accept the vital services and supports they need and deserve.
We encourage you to volunteer on your own or with friends and family. There are HOPE training sites across the 5 boroughs you can select from. Please visit nyc.gov/hope to learn more and register.
Your participation is essential to helping address the challenge of homelessness and support some of our City’s most vulnerable residents as they get back on their feet.
Increase in the New York State (NYS) Minimum Wage and its Effect on Cash Assistance (CA) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Effective January 1, 2026, the NYS minimum wage increases from $16.50 to $17.00 per hour for workers employed in New York City (NYC) and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester (the NYS minimum wage increases from $15.50 to $16.00 per hour for workers employed in the rest of NYS).
Beginning in 2027, the minimum wage will increase annually by the three-year moving average of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region. Separate guidance will be issued at that time once the minimum wages are set by the Department of Labor.
Impact on CA and SNAP Work Requirements
Since the NYS minimum wage is greater than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, the NYS minimum wage will be used in the calculation of the maximum number of hours a participant may be assigned to certain work or community service activities. As directed by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), the minimum wage that applies to workers employed in NYC will be used in the calculation.
Note: This does not apply to the eligibility requirements to receive Child Care in Lieu of Cash Assistance (CILOCA). CILOCA eligibility will be based on the appropriate minimum wage as determined by the employer’s work location.
The maximum number of monthly hours that an individual may be required to participate in certain work or community service activities is calculated by dividing the sum of the household’s monthly CA grant and SNAP grant by the minimum wage. The resulting monthly hours are divided by 4.333 to determine the maximum number of weekly hours.
Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD)
Individuals who are subject to the Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) eligibility rules can meet their monthly ABAWD work requirements by participating in certain work or community service activities. The number of hours required is equal to their monthly SNAP grant, divided by the number of adults in the SNAP household, and then divided by the higher of the federal or NYS minimum wage.
The NYS minimum wage is used in this calculation because it is higher than the federal minimum wage. The resulting monthly hours are rounded down to the nearest whole number.
For ABAWDs who are also in receipt of CA benefits, only the SNAP grant is used in the ABAWD hours calculation.
Note: New York City has an ABAWD waiver in effect through February 28, 2026.
Despite the changes to the NYS minimum wage in 2026, the number of monthly hours that an ABAWD would need to participate in certain work experience and community service activities to meet the ABAWD requirements will either remain the same or decrease as a result of the changes (see examples below).
Example 1:
- SNAP household of one individual that receives a monthly SNAP grant of $298.00.
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- $298.00 divided by $17.00 (2026 minimum wage) = 17 monthly hours.
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- $298.00 divided by $16.50 (2025 minimum wage) = 18 monthly hours.
Example 2:
- SNAP household of two individuals that receive a monthly SNAP grant of $546.00.
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- $546 divided by 2 individuals divided by $17.00 (2026 minimum wage) = 16 monthly hours.
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- $546 divided by 2 individuals divided by $16.50 (2025 minimum wage) = 16 monthly hours
The 2026 increase in the NYS minimum wage has no impact on the exemption from SNAP work requirements for receiving weekly earnings of at least 30 times the federal minimum wage because the federal minimum wage is remaining at $7.25 per hour. The federal minimum wage is used to determine exemptions from SNAP work requirements.
Treatment of New York State (NYS) Inflation Refund Checks for Public Assistance (PA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
The NYS Inflation Refund Check was a one-time payment designed to provide economic relief to New Yorkers. Individuals were eligible for a refund check if, for tax year 2023, they filed a NYS Resident Income Tax Return (Form IT-201), were below income limits, and were not claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s return.
Public Assistance (PA)
HRA will exclude NYS Inflation Refund Checks as income and as a resource for initial and recurring PA eligibility determinations and benefit calculations for Family Assistance (FA), Safety Net Assistance (SNA), Emergency Assistance for Needy Families with Children (EAF), Emergency Assistance to Adults (EAA), and Emergency Safety Net Assistance (ESNA) cases.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The refund payments are not counted as income for SNAP and are considered to be a resource in the month they are received by the household (Note: Most SNAP households are not subject to a resource test because of Broad Based Categorical Eligibility).
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
The refund checks will be excluded from the HEAP household’s income when determining eligibility for Regular HEAP, Emergency, Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement (HERR), and Cooling Assistance benefits. The refund checks must also be excluded as a resource for the Emergency and HERR benefit components.
For more information on Inflation Refund Checks visit the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance website.
The NYS OTDA guidance can be accessed here.
January 2026 RSDI/SSI COLA Increases
Effective January 1, 2026, all individuals in receipt of Social Security Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) and/or SSI will receive a federal Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.8 percent. This 2.8 percent federal COLA results in an average increase of $27 per month for SSI Recipients.
Notices were sent to all participants whose CA and/or SNAP grants will be reduced effective January 2026 because of the RSDI/SSI increase.
Separate SNAP and Medicaid benefit determinations will be made for CA cases that will be closed as a result of the COLA increase.
Career Services Pathways for Access to Careers and Employment (Pace) On Staten Island Is Transitioning to a New Provider
The Pathways for Access to Careers and Employment (PACE) America Works of New York (AWNY) program on Staten Island will close on December 31, 2025. On January 5, 2026, the PACE program will transition to its new provider, Career Team.
Work-required applicants and participants on Staten Island will no longer be referred to PACE AWNY after December 23, 2025. The PACE AWNY program will officially close their doors on December 31, 2025.
The PACE Career Team will provide services through their site at:
60 Bay Street, Unit 710
Staten Island, NY 10301
Phone: (929) 350-1050
If clients have questions related to their assignment or provider, they may contact the Participant Services Unit (PSU) at 929-273-0574.
The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Needs Assessment
The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and volunteer Neighborhood Advisory Board members encourage New Yorkers to complete the Community Needs Assessment (CNA). This survey helps DYCD gather information about the highest priority needs of New Yorkers. This information will be used in various ways, including informing decisions about which federally-funded anti-poverty programs will be funded in each of the target neighborhoods.
For the social media toolkit and additional resources, click here.
Update: MetroCards and OMNY Bulk Sales for Agencies & Non-Profits
The MTA has launched a new webpage designed specifically to support nonprofits with the transition from MetroCards to OMNY. We’ve been asked to help share this information widely and encourage feedback from organizations that currently distribute transit fare to clients.
What organizations should know:
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- The final day to place bulk MetroCard orders is December 31, 2025.
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- Organizations should order enough MetroCard supplies to cover client needs through January and February 2026.
- OMNY bulk ordering & paper tickets
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- The new MTA webpage includes guidance on ordering OMNY cards, including 1-trip, 2-trip, and 12-trip paper OMNY tickets.
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- Paper OMNY tickets have a six-month validity period. Orders should be timed so tickets are distributed within 1–3 months of purchase.
The MTA’s new OMNY Bulk Sales webpage consolidates key information to support nonprofits during the transition. Please visit their webpage to learn more.
Exemption of Donations or Funding Earmarked for Food
This guidance serves to address donations or funds credibly earmarked for the purpose of purchasing food to address the SNAP delay of November benefits.
Please see below for guidelines on how donations from organizations made to households impacted by the SNAP delay and used to purchase food are considered for each benefit program:
- Cash Assistance: Non-recurring donations are exempt as long as the giver specifies the intended use of the donation.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): These donations are disregarded as income due to its exclusion from Cash Assistance.
- Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP): Non-recurring lump sum payments are excluded from household income when determining eligibility.
For more information, click here.
No Fee Non-Driver IDs for Certain Public Assistance Recipients
We would like to remind you of a change to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) policy regarding certain public assistance recipients’ eligibility to receive a non-driver ID without paying a fee.
To get a reduced fee or 'No Fee' non-driver ID, applicants must apply by mail or at a DMV office. Clients cannot apply online. The applicant may be eligible for a reduced fee or no fee non-driver ID if they are 62 or older and receive supplemental security income (SSI), or of any age and receiving Cash Assistance, SNAP, or Medicaid.
Individuals will need to provide proof that they receive CA, SNAP, or Medicaid via:
- Client Notice System (CNS) notice that states benefits are “approved”, “recertified”, “changed”, or “same amount” with the name of the individual applying for a non-driver ID, case number, and effective date.
- Welfare Management System (WMS) Budget Screen printout with the name of the individual applying for a non-driver ID, case number, and effective date. It must be accompanied by a Common Benefit Identification Card (CBIC/Welfare Card) with the name of the individual applying for a non-driver ID.
- NYC only: Budget Letter with the name of the individual applying for a non-driver ID, case number, and effective date. Clients who reside in NYC may use ACCESS HRA to print their Budget Letter.
- At a DMV office: Bring original proofs.
- By mail: Send a photocopy of proofs.
These documents can be accessed through myBenefits, ACCESS HRA, or the ACCESS HRA Mobile App.
For more information, please read the Non-Driver ID Fees and Refunds section of the DMV website.
Training Institute Child Support Information Sessions
HRA’s Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) Training Institute presents an ongoing free series of webinars designed to shed light on the sometimes-complicated aspects of child support. The webinars are designed for staff at city agencies and community-based organizations, as well as parents and professionals that work with those parents. Each presentation is held on a Tuesday from 10 AM to 11 AM and is followed by a question-and-answer period. For a full list of the free sessions January through June, click here.
If you have trouble registering for any session, please email
OCSS.TrainingInsitute@dfa.state.ny.us or visit the OCSS website.
New Community Partner Training on SNAP Work Requirements for Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDS)
The Office of Community Outreach is offering an educational training that provides an overview of the SNAP work requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) and recent related policy changes. Participants will gain a clear understanding of who qualifies as an ABAWD, applicable exemptions, key compliance requirements, and the consequences of noncompliance. By the end of the session, attendees will be better equipped to support clients subject to these rules. You can register for an upcoming session here.
New Online Resource Guide from the Office of New Americans
The Office of New Americans has created a new online resource guide intended to help all residents of New York, including immigrants. Know Your Resources, Know Your Rights includes information related to:
- The New Americans Hotline for immigration legal help and other resources
- The NYS Office of New Americans for free assistance to all immigrants of New York State
- Food and Nutrition Resources related to SNAP benefits and a free food pantries finder tool
- Health and Family Services Resources to connect to health care centers, health insurance, addiction services, and more
- Employment and other Vital Services Resources, such as worker rights and reporting discrimination
- Multilingual flyers to share information about this online guide
