Feds to release $106M in migrant aid to NYC after month of paperwork delays

Metro

By Craig McCarthy

The feds are in any case set to release greater than $100 million in migrant aid to New York City that sat untouched for months — a prolong that fueled tensions between City Hall and the Biden management.

The $106 million in aid — the remaining of a $150 million package deal earmarked for the Big Apple by means of Congress ultimate summer season — can be made to be had on Thursday after the Federal Emergency Management Agency officially indicators off on City Hall’s compensation packages, in accordance to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s place of job.

“I worked hard with NYC and FEMA to deliver these funds,” Schumer (D-NY) mentioned on social media. “Now Republicans must stop blocking the strong, bipartisan border bill, which can deliver more.”

The senator, who labored as a liaison between the town and the feds, organized for FEMA to ship a staff to the Big Apple to lend a hand the Adams management with grant paperwork and packages to elevate the cap on resort reimbursements to 15%.

The earlier restrict handiest allowed for 10% of general aid to be used on housing migrants in resorts.

“Today, FEMA notified New York City that it had approved their budget for over $106 million awarded through the Shelter and Services Program, making this funding available for their use,” a Biden management legitimate informed The Post.

“We are pleased that after accepting technical assistance from FEMA, New York City was able to submit the required paperwork to make the funds available.”

City Hall mentioned the test wasn’t in the mail simply but.

“After the city submitted additional paperwork last week, the federal government has indicated that they will remove the hold on these previously allocated funds, giving us the ability to finally submit reimbursements for the up to $107 million,” mayoral spokesperson Charles Lutvak mentioned.

“We appreciate the productive collaboration of our federal partners and will continue to work closely with them so money can be released.”

The untouched aid got here to mild over the previous couple of weeks after Mayor Eric Adams’ finances guru printed right through a City Council listening to that New York have been in a position to recoup handiest $49 million of the aid months after it was once earmarked.

“The requirements are so stringent, that it is very difficult for us to do so, but we’re working to collect the remaining $107 million,” town finances director Jacques Jiha testified on March 4.

Fed assets later informed The Post that City Hall hadn’t controlled to record the correct paperwork — one thing towards which Adams vehemently driven again.

Adams slammed the perception that City Hall was once to blame for the prolong, and criticized the Biden management for handiest getting $150 million in aid to the town to care for a disaster this is projected to price more or less $10 billion thru the following fiscal 12 months.

“Even if we had gotten a whole $150 million, we have a $4 billion price tag,” the mayor mentioned ultimate week right through a press convention.

Additional reporting by means of Diana Glebova