The processing delays have prompted several watchdog groups, led by the Legal Aid Society, to request that Mayor Adams' administration be held in contempt of a 2005 court order requiring the processing of applications for the Expedited Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as E-SNAP, within seven days. If the problem persists, the groups argue that the administration should face heavy fines.
The E-SNAP program provides monthly benefits to eligible households, and those who rely on these benefits to purchase food have suffered the consequences of processing delays. Legal Aid reported that the delays have led some of the poorest residents to struggle to feed themselves and their children for weeks, and even months.
"People are forced to go to food pantries, they rely on family and friends, they rely on other people to get by, and in some cases, they go hungry - they can't buy food," said Legal Aid attorney Emily Lundgren, highlighting the impacts beyond the lack of food. "We've talked to people who can't take medications that require food because they don't have food..... It's really having a widespread impact beyond just not having food. It has huge consequences for people's health and emotional well-being."
Data reviewed by The News and filed in Manhattan federal court indicate that, between April and September, at least 13,700 E-SNAP applications were not processed on time, in violation of the seven-day rule established in 2005. Although federal and state law allows 30 days to process regular food stamp applications, E-SNAP benefits, which are intended for people at serious risk of food instability, must be processed in a shorter time frame.
The Human Resources Administration (HRA), which is in charge of public assistance programs, failed to process 160 of 200 E-SNAP applications in March within the seven-day deadline. Between April and June, 6,340 E-SNAP applications were recorded as not being processed on time, meaning that nearly half of all applications in that period faced delays. Despite the concern expressed by advocacy groups, the processing rate did not show significant improvement until September, the last month with available data.