Error threatened hundreds of NYC public housing residents with eviction

Error nearly evicted NYC public housing residents

NEW YORK — Hundreds of families have been threatened with eviction due to a rent-calculation error at the New York City Housing Authority.

Families whose sole income is public assistance were overcharged between $50 and $200 a month.

Some went into debt — borrowing money to pay the extra rent between September and May. Some were taken to Housing Court when they couldn’t pay.

Housing officials say no families have been evicted because of the problem. They say the computer problem is being fixed, and residents will be reimbursed.

Tenants were mistakenly charged based on the number of people in a household rather than the number of people receiving public assistance.

Information from: The New York Times, www.nytimes.com