Joseph Hof
Mar 2, 2025
The firm has raised the flag about several issues that relate to allegations of disparate impact by the Department of Social Services to presently housed disabled veterans receiving disability compensation from Veterans Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOF
New York, New York (March 2, 2025) – Hof has provided a comprehensive report to the City of New York, offering key insights and recommendations to ensure that the Department of Social Services' (DSS) administration of the City's Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Services (CityFHEPS) rental assistance program fully includes disabled veterans receiving tax-exempt disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report, embedded within this public very statement, reflects Hof’s commitment to working alongside City agencies to enhance policies and processes that promote housing stability for all community members, including - n'eh, especailly - those who have served.
Through direct advocacy on behalf of a disabled veteran seeking CityFHEPS assistance, our firm identified areas where improved coordination and clearer guidance could strengthen the program’s impact. Specifically, the report highlights opportunities to refine how veterans’ disability compensation is considered in income assessments, ensure case managers receive up-to-date guidance, and foster greater alignment between DSS and the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) to better serve the veteran community.
“We appreciate the City’s ongoing efforts to provide housing assistance to vulnerable populations and see this as an opportunity to collaborate on refining policies that will ensure veterans receive the support they need,” said Joseph Anthony Hof, Managing Attorney at Hof Law. “By working together, we can ensure that rental assistance programs are both effective and inclusive, keeping disabled veterans stably housed and strengthening New York’s diverse communities.”
The report also emphasizes the broader benefits of ensuring that veterans remain within their communities. Over time, community members benefit from the presence of veteran warfighters, whose leadership, discipline, and experience enrich neighborhoods. In turn, this fosters a stronger, more unified New York—one in which military service and civilian life are not separate, but interconnected.
Hof looks forward to continuing the conversation with City agencies, veterans’ organizations, and community stakeholders, as appropriate, to implement the firm's recommendations. The full report is embedded within this statement and available for public review.
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