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Cash Assistance — Application timeliness rate (%)
Improve access to assistance that provides economic stability to support the basic needs of all eligible children and adults. — Provide access to cash assistance benefits for all eligible children and adults.
HRA attributes the Fiscal 2023 collapse in Cash Assistance application timeliness (to 28.8%) to an unprecedented, sustained increase in applications combined with staff attrition, the expiration of pandemic-era state waivers that had suspended recertification requirements, and a state-law change that shortened the eligibility-determination window for certain cases. The recovery to 63.2% by Fiscal 2025 reflects process improvements HRA says it implemented despite continued high application volume.
Researched July 16, 2026 — Human Resources Administration, Fiscal 2023 Mayor's Management Report, Human Resources Administration, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
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| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 82.3% | 96% |
| FY23 | 28.8% | 96% |
| FY24 | 42.4% | 96% |
| FY25 | 63.2% | 95% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 67.5% | 95% |
Why this is tracked
HRA was created on August 15, 1966, by Mayor John Lindsay, merging the Department of Welfare with several other city human-services agencies into a single 'super-agency.' Today HRA administers Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and cash assistance, which research on these programs nationally links to improvements in food security, health, and stabilization for households during economic downturns. Rent burden and food insecurity are closely linked forms of hardship, which is part of why HRA administers both cash and food assistance alongside rental assistance programs.
History of Welfare & HRA - HRA, What You Need to Know About Cash Assistance & SNAP - The Legal Aid Society
Source: DSS Family Independence Administration (FIA) — via NYC Open Data: Mayor's Management Report, Agency Performance Indicators
Coverage shown: FY22–FY26, reported monthly.
Definition: This indicator measures the percent of Cash Assistance application processing completed by the Agency in the required 30-day time frame.