Press Release
CSS Statement on FY 2027 State Budget
The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) applauds Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment to protecting student borrowers in the face of harmful federal policies by expanding the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) to $6 million in the FY 2027 New York State budget.
This important investment will strengthen statewide support for higher education institutions and student loan borrowers working to stay on track financially while navigating the growing burden of student debt. At a time when one in four borrowers faces default, expanding EDCAP is critical to protecting New Yorkers’ financial stability and supporting the state’s long-term economic security.
CSS also appreciates the continued investment in the organization’s vital consumer assistance programs that provide critical services and support to New Yorkers across the state, including Community Health Advocates (CHA), the Community Health Access to Addiction and Mental Healthcare Project (CHAMP), the Independent Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ombuds program (IDDO), and the Next Door Project (NDP). These programs play an essential role in helping New Yorkers access health care, protect their rights, maintain economic stability, and navigate increasingly complex systems during times of significant need.
While the budget makes meaningful investments in financial security initiatives, it ultimately falls short of addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing low-income New Yorkers, particularly the looming loss of health coverage for hundreds of thousands of residents.
The state budget does not include funding to preserve health coverage for nearly 500,000 Essential Plan enrollees who are set to lose coverage beginning July 1. At a time when New Yorkers are already facing rising costs and growing uncertainty, the loss of affordable health coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income residents will have devastating consequences for families, providers, and the overall health care system. New York has been a national leader in expanding access to coverage and reducing the uninsured rate, and this budget represents a missed opportunity to protect those gains and ensure continuity of care for vulnerable communities across the state.
And despite a continuing housing affordability crisis that threatens the economic security of households across New York, the budget does not include an expansion of the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP). Expanding access to housing stability programs remains essential to preventing displacement and homelessness for low-income households.
As we close out a protracted state budget session that stretched nearly two months beyond the statutory due date, one thing that is crystal clear is that detrimental federal policies intended to punish states like New York hold dire consequences for the most vulnerable citizens among us. With that in mind, CSS remains committed to advocating for the nearly 500,000 New Yorkers being left uninsured as a result of the egregious impact of HR1. Specifically, we will continue working closely with our state leaders on policy solutions that make health care available to those who are losing it, while re-doubling our efforts to preserve affordable health coverage for New Yorkers and protect the state’s historic progress in reducing the uninsured rate. CSS will also continue pushing for an expansion of the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) to ensure more low-income New Yorkers can access the housing support necessary to remain safely and stably housed.
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The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) has worked with and for New Yorkers since 1843 to promote economic opportunity and champion an equitable city and state. We power change through a strategic combination of research, services, and advocacy to make New York more livable for people facing economic insecurity. By expanding access to health care, affordable housing, employment opportunities, debt assistance, and more, we make a tangible difference in the lives of millions. Join us at www.cssny.org.