As New York City responds to a national humanitarian migration crisis without meaningful support from other levels of government, we have worked to cut costs and save city taxpayer dollars, including through a recent cost-saving pilot program to provide migrant families with pre-paid cards to purchase food and baby supplies. This was the focus of a Post piece filled with inaccuracies (“House of cards,” Nicole Gelinas, Feb. 20).

The author makes multiple incorrect assertions that the $53 million approved for this program does not include the money that the migrants receive. This is false and contractually impossible. It doesn’t reflect how the contract is written, or how it was filed by the comptroller: $53 million is the total amount the city could spend on this contract, over $50 million of which would go toward helping families buy food and baby supplies.

Gelinas also claims the city will give migrants up to $10,000 each with no ID check, no restrictions and no fraud control. All false. The city plans to load the cards with amounts equal to a month of SNAP benefits (well below this limit) which may only be used at supermarkets and bodegas. Cash-back withdrawal and ATM access will not be allowed, ID checks are processed upon intake, and fraud controls as would exist for any debit or credit card will be followed.

Finally, Gelinas falsely concludes that the city is giving out potentially billions of dollars of hard cash with few questions asked. This is pure fiction. This program has the potential to save more than $600,000 per month.

William Fowler, NYC Housing Preservation and Development

Manhattan

For The Post’s reply, click here.

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