HUD Tenants Rights During the Government Shutdown
September 29, 2023Fighting a Landlord’s Adverse Action
September 29, 2023 The New Standard Utility Allowances for SNAP Benefits are out. The new amounts decreased this year. The standard allowance for:
- heating/cooling has been adjusted from $932 to $923.
- Electricity utility costs not for heat/cooling have been adjusted from $366 to $363.
- Telephone stays the same at $31
Remember, Food Stamp (SNAP) Challenges must be requested within 90 days. Challenges, or fair hearing requests, can be done by calling 1-800-342-3334.
Nassau Suffolk Law Services’ Public Benefits Unit provides legal assistance to persons who experience problems with public benefits programs that are administered by the local Departments of Social Services, including:
- Welfare (TANF and Safety Net)
- Medicaid
- Food Stamps (SNAP)
- Child Care Assistance
- HEAP
- Emergency shelter for the homeless
- Unemployment insurance appeals and overpayments
- Other emergency assistance programs
We also assist low-income households in establishing Supplemental Needs Trusts to eliminate the Medicaid spend-down and assist homeless families to obtain rent supplements from DSS to enable families to leave the shelters or retain permanent housing. Suffolk County residents seeking legal representation can contact (631) 232-2400 (Islandia) or (631) 369-1112. Nassau County residents seeking legal representation can contact (516) 292-8100.
