NYC Residents Struggling With Increased Food Costs, Decreased SNAP Benefits, Other Federal Aid Programs: Rep. AOC
Navigating Expanded SNAP Requirements
Editor’s note: After the passage of the OBBBA, a bill which dramatically cuts eligible recipients out of the SNAP program which helps the most vulnerable, including a significant percentage of whom are children, new eligibility conditions went into effect. Work requirements have already caused many to lose their benefits. Changes to Medicaid eligibility, specifically cutting out individuals who can’t afford health insurance but don’t have poverty level income, along with discarding tax credits for policies, has thrown many off their current plans. New York State’s Essential Plan will be cutting out many residents who were previously eligible, since those between 200 and 250% of the federal poverty level are no longer eligible. While it sounds like a lot, the FPL is very very low, around $15k per year for one person, and it doesn’t take into account state by state variations in cost of living. So someone making $31-39k per year would now have to pay for their own insurance, which costs upwards of $600 per month for each person in a household, and that’s for the most basic plan with the highest deductible (out of pocket cost that must be met before any coverage starts – this includes doctor visit costs, prescription costs, etc, and the cheapest plan often has deductibles of $12k per year). The average plan in New York is $1,000 per month, adding up to over a quarter of the wages for an individual making 200% of FPL. Such people have stated in survey after survey that they will just be uninsured and hope they don’t get sick.
It should be noted that there are a few options for New Yorkers who can’t afford health insurance. MetroPlus Health is helping New Yorkers find suitable plans, and NYC Health + Hospitals has City run plans that are free regardless of income or immigration status. Islanders wouldn’t benefit from this as much unless they’re willing to travel to Brooklyn as we have no city hospital here. Community Health Centers, such as Beacon Christian Community Center, offer very low cost health care to those who quality, and they offer self- certification where one declares their income and need. Costs are around $10 for a doctors visit and $5 for prescriptions at most of the Centers, which provides a necessary option for many residents who can’t afford the regular cost of care.
To our NY-14 community,
As you may know, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules have changed since the passage of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
New federal rules mean some New Yorkers must now meet work requirements to keep SNAP benefits. If these changes affect you, you may need to work, volunteer, or attend training – and report your hours – or you could lose your benefits.
These rules took effect on March 1, 2026, which means that your benefits could have been impacted as of June 1, 2026. In today’s newsletter, the Office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez would like to update you on what you can expect if this applies to you and what you need to do.
Below are details on new SNAP requirements and how you may be impacted. You can also navigate to the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) website for more information.
Who is affected by Expanded Work Requirements?
You may be affected if you are a healthy adult without young children at home, or what the rules call an “Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents” (ABAWD). This applies to you if all three of the following are true:
- You are between 18 and 64 years old
- You do not live with a child under 14
- You do not have a medical exemption from working
People who are not affected
These changes do not apply if you:
- Have a physical or mental health condition
- Are pregnant
- Live with a child under 14
- Are working 30+ hours/week
- Are in school or training (half-time or more)
- Are in substance use treatment
- Are caring for a child under 6 or an incapacitated person
- Receive SSI, SSD, VA disability, or similar benefits
- Are over the age of 65 or under the age of 18
How to check if you are affected
If you are affected, HRA will send you an ABAWD Work Activity Letter and another letter with an appointment date to meet with an HRA career services provider. You may receive this letter in the mail or through your online HRA account.
If you receive SNAP benefits, you should log in to your HRA account on ACCESS NYC to check if you’ve received any notifications.
Make sure you update your contact information by signing in to ACCESS HRA and choosing “Profile” from the menu.
Important Resources
You can also call Mayor Mamdani’s public engagement unit at 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669) or visit nyc.gov/ohsnap for help if you have any questions. Hours of operation:
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Find the nearest food pantry to you here.
Banner Image: Mayor Bill de Blasio visits the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island to help with the Rosh Hashanah food pantry distribution on Thursday, September 26, 2019. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office. Image Credit – NYC Mayor
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In January of 2019, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez was sworn-in as the youngest woman and youngest Latina ever to serve in Congress. Her first piece of legislation was the Green New Deal resolution, which envisions a 10-year national mobilization, akin to FDR’s New Deal, that would put millions to work in good-paying, union jobs repairing the nation’s infrastructure, reducing air and water pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, social, racial and climate crises crippling the country.
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