New Yorker received benefits for one and a half years, which she refused

For a year and a half, a New Yorker who temporarily received benefits from the city unsuccessfully tried to refuse help, as she no longer needed it. About the story when “the taxpayer’s money is wasted because of incompetence,” writes the publication New York Post.

The woman whom the author called Charlotte asked not to indicate her real name. However, employees of New York agencies involved in this story know who they are talking about, the report said.

“You will laugh at the story that I am going to tell you. Although not particularly funny when taxpayer money is wasted due to incompetence. I hope this is the only case of this kind, although I doubt it, ”the author notes.

What happened?

A New Yorker, Charlotte, has received SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits over her long period of unemployment.

This program, subsidized by the federal government, helps provide those who need it with adequate nutrition. Responsible for this program are the City Human Resource Management (HRA).

“I returned to work after Memorial Day 2018 of the year and submitted documents in early June 2018 of the year, as required, to stop receiving benefits,” said Charlotte.

However, the request, according to the woman, was ignored, and she continued to receive money from the city. Funds came even after Charlotte re-submitted the documents in late July.

On the subject: What social programs can New Yorkers count on?

“They finally stopped the SNAP 20 benefits of September 2018 of the year,” she said.

But the story did not end there. The fact is that there was another advantage associated with SNAP - assistance in paying heating bills, which Charlotte has been unsuccessfully trying to cancel since then.

“Since my SNAP benefits were terminated, I was contacted five times by HRA Home Energy Assistance (HEAP) staff. Cohn Edison informed me that I was automatically enrolled in a utility tariff reduction program and / or would receive additional benefits, ”Charlotte said.

According to her, the HRA claims that a woman receives social benefits and cannot pay electricity bills on her own.

“I had to make numerous phone calls to both agencies to refuse to participate,” she added.

But the calls never answered, and while the total amount she received was only a few hundred dollars, the money continued to flow into her SNAP bank account.

She even sent a registered letter, but that didn't work either.

“After receiving my third notification of automatic registration in April 2019, I sent a Certified Letter / Receipt of Return to HRA / HEAP with a reminder that I do not have the right to receive social security benefits, and requested to delete my data from their active base, ”Charlotte explained.

However, this did not work, she assures.

“I just received another (fifth) notification that HEAP is contacting Con Edison on my behalf and will automatically credit me with a rate reduction,” added Charlotte.

“Please stop sending me money.”

“I was grateful that I received temporary assistance in difficult times, especially because I paid income tax to the system for 30 years. But I no longer need money, and it’s disgusting that the city gives the money of my and other hardworking taxpayers to people who don’t need them, ”she said.

“When was the last time you heard about a man who says: please stop sending me money. Yes, so many times, but all to no avail? ”- complains the author.

Charlotte added that she does not mind people receiving benefits if they deserve them.

“What if millions of people get a few hundred dollars that they don't deserve?” The author suggests.

How is the situation at HRA explained?

The author of this material contacted the HRA about the situation of Charlotte.

“Now they tell her that she is not enrolled in any benefits program,” he says.

According to them, Charlotte "should have been expelled from SNAP as soon as she asked for it." The agency cites a “human error” in that this did not happen.

“She was automatically credited to another allowance, which we usually offer to people receiving assistance. Having learned about this error, we quickly resolved the situation, ”said the representative of HRA.