The 'Homelessness Prevention' pilot program, successfully championed by Assemblyman Hevesi in this years state budget, will allow localities the latitude to raise rent subsidies to the Fair Market Rent standard set by HUD. The program, which in its first year will serve New York City, will assist those in the process of losing their housing for compelling reasons including domestic violence and other circumstances. The pilot program request was first initiated by letter from Hevesi to the Speaker of the Assembly in February, and was signed by nearly 40 of his Assembly colleagues. Hevesi, who was appointed Chair of the Assembly Social Services Committee just two weeks before the letter was sent, stressed the need for preventative service funding through the expansion of Family Eviction Prevention Subsidy (FEPS) eligibility in order to address the continued increase of individuals facing homelessness in New York State. Hevesi's letter stated that the inclusion of such a pilot program will ultimately avert individuals from becoming homeless, and is a far more humane and cost effective practice than trying to rehouse people after they have been placed in the shelter system.

Last month, the New York State Assembly joined together to pass a comprehensive package of legislation to combat human trafficking, including the unanimous passage of two bills (A.551 & A.5172) authored by Assemblyman Hevesi. The Assemblyman's legislation would increase the state's resources in an effort to target and eradicate this heinous crime. A.2636-A would authorize the Attorney General to create a 24-hour hotline to encourage the reporting of information related to crimes involving human trafficking. A.511 strengthens the Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking by appointing seven new members to the Task Force. This legislation ensures that all who have a role in fighting human trafficking (law enforcement, the legislature, the executive, nonprofit organizations, etc.) have up-to-date information, particularly regarding the efficacy of their policies. The Assembly bill package seeks to improve and expand upon the 2007 milestone statute that created new offenses and increases penalties for sex and labor trafficking. The legislation must now be ratified by the New York State Senate and signed by Governor Cuomo before it can become law.