MAYVILLE, N.Y. – The Chautauqua County Department of Social Services is proud to announce the launch of a new Public Assistance Shelter Supplement (PASS) initiative to further the county’s effort to address rising housing insecurity and homelessness in our community. This effort, designed to better support families, single adults, and childless couples struggling with housing costs, will help bridge the gap between public assistance shelter allowances and real-world rental rates.
“As housing costs continue to rise, far too many of our residents—especially families with children—have found themselves without stable housing,” said Carmelo Hernandez, Commissioner of Social Services. “This new program allows us to offer practical, long-term solutions that not only reduce the cost of emergency shelter placements but improve quality of life for our community’s most vulnerable.”
The PASS initiative, a part of New York State’s initiative to address the housing crisis, provides supplemental funding for rent payments, enabling eligible recipients to secure and maintain affordable, permanent housing. This supplement is available for:
- Families receiving Family Assistance or Safety Net Aid who are homeless or at risk of eviction.
- Single individuals and childless couples receiving Safety Net Assistance in similar housing crises.
Currently, many in Chautauqua County are placed in temporary hotel rooms due to a lack of affordable housing. These accommodations are not only costly, but often unsuitable for raising children or achieving long-term stability. The new PASS program will offer a more cost-effective solution while prioritizing stability, education, and mental well-being.
“This initiative is about more than cost savings—it’s about giving people a chance to build a better life,” said Charlene Johnson, Principal Social Welfare Examiner with Chautauqua County DSS. “We’re using a ‘housing first’ approach, which means getting people into safe, stable homes first, and then supporting them with employment, health, and recovery goals.”
By reducing reliance on emergency hotel placements and supporting up to 175 households per month across the county, at full capacity, the program has the ability to have up to $2 million local share savings for single/childless couples and up to $600,000 local share savings for families. Eligibility is determined based on public assistance status and current housing need, and supplements are tailored to household size and fair market rent rates.
For more information on the PASS program or other housing assistance resources, contact the Chautauqua County Department of Social Services at (716) 661-8200 or visit chqgov.com.
