Food Stamps: Will they contact my landlord? (New York, York: apartment, rental)
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I'm currently unemployed and living off my dwindling savings (augmented by sporadic, poorly-paid freelance work).
Friends tell me that I'm eligible for Food Stamps and should apply -- which I dread having to do, even temporarily, although it would definitely ease some of my current financial pressure.
My question: Will the Food Stamp people contact my landlord? Or require him to fill out an official "tenant verification" form?
I'm not a rent stabilized tenant. As nasty as my landlord is, I need to stay in his good graces. I fear that if he learns that I'm applying for food assistance, he'll use my shaky financial situation as grounds to "decline" to renew my lease in February (which I originally signed back when I still had a regular job).
I need to hang on to this apartment until things pick up. Without a weekly paycheck, it will be impossible to get another landlord to rent to me. (Trust me, I've tried in the past.)
But if I apply for Food Stamps, does anyone know whether the process will tip off my landlord?
Thanks.
Last edited by DillyDilly; 10-09-2013 at 01:33 PM..
I'm currently unemployed and living off my dwindling savings (augmented by sporadic, poorly-paid freelance work).
Friends tell me that I'm eligible for Food Stamps and should apply -- which I dread having to do, even temporarily, although it would definitely ease some of my current financial pressure.
My question: Will the Food Stamp people contact my landlord? Or require him to fill out an official "tenant verification" form?
They might and if they do, so what?
Apply for SNAP benefits online today and stop worrying about it.
I'm not a rent stabilized tenant. As nasty as my landlord is, I need to stay in his good graces. I fear that if he learns that I'm applying for food assistance, he'll use my shaky financial situation as grounds to "decline" to renew my lease in February (which I originally signed back when I still had a regular job).
I swear these landlords have you new jacks shook! Lol!
As long as you have the money to pay the rent, then there should be no issue.
Do you know how extremely difficult it is to evict or try to get rid of a tenant in NYC? Do you really think he cares about you being on foodstamps? He doesn't. All he cares about is if you can pay his rent every month. That's it.
Last edited by marilyn220; 10-09-2013 at 02:07 PM..
I swear these landlords have you new jacks shook! Lol!
Actually, there's nothing "new" about me. I'm 63. And I've lived in New York City for my entire life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marilyn220
As long as you have the money to pay the rent, then there should be no issue.
"Should" be no issue is the worrying concept here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marilyn220
Do you know how extremely difficult it is to evict or try to get rid of a tenant in NYC?
Evicting a tenant is difficult, yes. But a landlord -- especially the owner of a non-rent regulated apartment -- can simply decline to renew a lease when it legally expires.
That's not difficult at all, especially for a landlord already known for doing so -- or for simply jacking up the rent to an unaffordable level at renewal time -- to force a tenant he suddenly deems "financially risky" to move out.
He's done it to others. Which is why I need to be cautious. And why I need to know about the Food Stamp application process for sure.
Last edited by DillyDilly; 10-09-2013 at 02:33 PM..
Do you know how extremely difficult it is to evict or try to get rid of a tenant in NYC? Do you really think he cares about you being on foodstamps? He doesn't. All he cares about is if you can pay his rent every month. That's it.
If you can't pay the rent, its not all that difficult. Judges are more or less rubber stamping evictions these days in NYC. If you owe your landlord money and he sues to evict, going forward not only would you have to PAY, you'd have to establish that you have the INCOME to pay on a regular basis.
They will definitely want a copy of your lease. I doubt HRA calls your landlord unless they suspect FRAUD.
You say you're in a non rent regulated apartment.
HRA will want to know what you're were doing before the point you needed Food Stamps. As for your freelance gigs, though they mean not seem much, you definitely want to be honest with them on how much you make. If you don't report it and they somehow find out (like when its time for you to pay taxes for example) they can may investigate you for fraud and in that case they might contact your landlord.
Honestly, Food stamps are really for people who aren't working or who make very little (so you will need to make sure you're income doesn't disqualify you).
Actually, there's nothing "new" about me. I'm 63. And I've lived in New York City for my entire life.
"Should" be no issue is the worrying concept here.
Evicting a tenant is difficult, yes. But a landlord -- especially the owner of a non-rent regulated apartment -- can simply decline to renew a lease when it legally expires.
That's not difficult at all, especially for a landlord already known for doing so -- or for simply jacking up the rent to an unaffordable level at renewal time -- to force a tenant he suddenly deems "financially risky" to move out.
He's done it to others. Which is why I need to be cautious. And why I need to know about the Food Stamp application process for sure.
That person does not live here, thus the silly responses, and the reason you should ignore.
You are smart to be cautious. There are probably cases to be made disallowing discrimination against food stamp recipients, but who wants to deal with that and if your place is not regulated you could have few protections.
Food pantry idea ...? Perhaps better safe than sorry.
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