Luna Rosado, a single mother, has seen her gas expenses rise by $40 weekly due to a 30 percent increase in prices after the war in Iran. This has resulted in $160 less for groceries and other necessities each month, forcing her to constantly adjust her budget.
"There are people who have come here after escaping violence and persecution and torture. These are communities that we have historically said, 'You are welcome here. We have the support for you. We're going to help you get established in our country.' And now, the federal government is abandoning them."
This is both a huge victory, getting vouchers into people's hands for the first time is an incredible win. But the crisis means we need much more. With a housing voucher, households typically spend 30 percent of their income on rent and the government pays the landlord the rest.
A growing share of New Yorkers are struggling to afford life in one of the most expensive cities in the world as the costs of basic necessities like housing, groceries, and childcare soar. For decades, the city has failed to build enough new homes, creating a severe shortage that's driven up rents and home prices. Family-sized apartments with two or three bedrooms are especially hard to come by.
