Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Aging
The Council's Committee on Aging held an oversight hearing on interagency coordination for older adults, hearing testimony from the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) Commissioner and her staff about the Cabinet for Older New Yorkers, created under Local Law 64 of 2024, its four subcommittees (health, housing, intergenerational, outreach and engagement), and its budget-neutral initiatives. Two pieces of legislation were also heard: Intro 230, sponsored by Council Member Hudson, which would create a financial assistance program for in-home preventive adaptations for older adults and people with disabilities, and Resolution 173, calling on the State Legislature and Governor to enact long-term care legislation (S.1179/A.1499). Council members questioned the administration on the implementation of Local Law 170 of 2023 (the LGBT+ older adults commission), homelessness among older adults, NYCHA conditions and senior center closures, Access-A-Ride, Mitchell-Lama housing and Local Law 44 of 2024, SNAP fraud, elder abuse, and mental health. Public testimony came from aging-services, legal services, tenant, and advocacy organizations. No votes were taken during the hearing.
0:01 Thank you. Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Oh!
0:01 Good morning, everyone and
0:09 welcome to today's New York
0:10 City Council hearing for the
0:12 committee on aging if you
0:14 would like to testify. You
0:16 must, but I will slip with one
0:17 of the sergeant at arms in the
0:18 back of the room, even if you
0:20 sign up already online at this
0:23 time police silence all
0:25 electronic devices, please
0:26 silence all of devices and no
0:29 1 approach a day is at any
0:30 time during this hearing chair
0:32 . We are ready to begin. Thank
0:39 you
0:39 , good morning, everyone. I'm
0:40 council members who didn't
0:41 want chair of the comedian
0:43 aging. Thank you all for
0:45 attending this oversight
0:47 hearing on inter agency for
0:51 adults as we always have the
0:53 tradition we show them
0:54 pictures from our older adults
0:56 center and I will next just
0:59 winging our championship hope
1:00 we're going to win the
1:02 championship for our seniors
1:04 today, New York city's oh,
1:06 there does rely on board
1:07 night's work of programs and
1:09 services to remain healthy,
1:11 safe and the connected india,
1:13 their communities, York City
1:15 agent plays a critical role in
1:18 delivery, delivering many of
1:18 those essential services at
1:22 the same time order doubts
1:24 often interact with moti about
1:27 multiple, eh? C the agency is
1:29 responsible for housing,
1:31 health care, transportation
1:32 ,access to food emergency
1:35 response and other services
1:38 .it's important for agencies t
1:43 ocollaborate, efficient,
1:44 effectively, so order thoughts
1:46 can access the service they
1:49 need without.
1:49 Unnecessary barrier or
1:51 confusion.
1:52 Today's hearing is an
1:54 opportunity to examine how sid
1:57 agencies are coordinating to
1:58 meet needs of New York city's
2:01 aging population, we will hear
2:03 testimony from New York City
2:06 . Aging regarding its effort
2:09 to strengths, interagency
2:11 coordination
2:11 . And improve service deliver
2:14 for other New yorkers we are
2:16 interested in learning more
2:17 about cabinet for order adult
2:19 of order, doubts bring agencies
2:27 collaboratively across
2:28 government. We will also be
2:30 hearing two piece of
2:31 legislation. The first intro
2:34 to 30, sponsored by the
2:35 Council Member husband could.
2:37 They require aging in
2:41 cooperating.
2:41 With mayor's office t
2:42 opeople with disability t
2:46 oadminister um, financial
2:47 assistant program for older
2:51 adults
2:51 . And the individual with
2:53 disabilities. This financial
2:54 services and goods used the
2:57 eat, too. Install young home
3:03 preventive adaptations. The
3:04 second is resolution hundred
3:06 73 by a member Won this
3:08 resolution calls on New York
3:10 city's state. Let's let him
3:12 too pass and the governor to
3:16 find it's senate bill 11 79,
3:18 an assembly bill 14 99, whic
3:22 hcould provide the long term
3:24 care for eligible residents.
3:27 It's important that New York
3:29 City provides the support they
3:30 need to survive, so it's
3:33 important that older New
3:35 yorkers are provided the
3:36 support they need to.
3:37 Survive and it's not and
3:41 let's not forget that support
3:43 requires raw blast
3:46 coordination
3:47 . I want to thank both sponsor
3:49 for their hard work on these
3:54 issues
3:54 . Thank you, my colleagues t
3:55 ojoin me today. Thank you t
3:58 ounwind aging for testify and
4:00 thank you, too
4:03 . Comedian staff legislative
4:05 council hana calm and the
4:07 policy analyst joshua human
4:10 for their are working in
4:11 preparing this meeting, I
4:12 would like to thank my staff
4:13 for their work as as we
4:17 continue to serve I community
4:20 ,community, constituents and
4:21 the City as a whole I would
4:23 like to recognize we have
4:24 joined by council husband
4:28 autumn ball. I will now pass
4:31 up. Oh, millie and
4:32 . The Council Member Brewer.
4:38 Okay, now I will pass the
4:39 microphone to Council Member
4:40 husband to give a statement on
4:43 her leg. Thank you so much
4:45 chair and good morning. There
4:49 are currently older adults age
4:53 62 or older living in the five
4:54 boroughs, according to the
4:56 center for research on housing
4:57 opportunity, mobility and
5:00 equity New York city's
5:01 population of older adults,
5:01 which currently represents 20%
5:03 of our city's entire
5:04 population will only grow as
5:05 the baby baby boomer
5:07 generation ages in New York
5:08 City. The number of older
5:09 adults is expected to jump 40%
5:12 by 20 40, especially as New
5:13 yorkers are living longer.
5:16 Older New yorkers are mor
5:17 elikely to age in place, then
5:18 younger New yorkers in 20 23,
5:20 the average older adult lived
5:21 in their home for 22 ars,ye
5:24 compared to five years for the
5:24 average New yorker, but many
5:27 also live on fixed incomes.
5:28 The median household income in
5:30 20 23 was $80000, but only
5:34 22900 for an older adults who
5:35 lived alone and one third o
5:37 folder adults report at least
5:41 one functional disability
5:41 . This bill will provide
5:42 financial assistance for low
5:43 income households to install
5:44 in home preventative
5:46 adaptations that allow older
5:47 adults and people with
5:48 disabilities to remain in
5:49 their current homes with the
5:52 financial assistance provided
5:53 by this bill, households can
5:54 afford to install
5:56 accessibility modifications
5:57 that reduce the risk of falls
5:59 assist with mobility issues
6:00 and enhance independent livin
6:01 g. This bill in that older
6:02 adults and people with
6:04 disabilities are able t
6:05 ocomfortably remain in their
6:06 homes with the necessary
6:07 modifications. Thank you
6:12 .thank you. We are now hearing
6:15 testimony from we need to mis
6:20 syou okay? Thank you. Now, now,
6:24 we will be here in from
6:27 representatives from a
6:29 demonstration. I will now turn
6:30 it over to comedian counsel to
6:34 administer the oath for this
6:36 panel of a demonstration.
6:42 Officials do you affirm to
6:43 tell the truth, the whole
6:43 truth and nothing but the
6:45 truth before this committee
6:46 and to respond honestly t
6:48 ocouncil member questions
6:50 commissioner, assistant
6:50 commissioner. Thank you. Thank
6:53 you. Please speaking.
6:57 Well, good morning. Cheer
6:58 you on huang and
6:58 . Members of the New York City
7:00 council on aging. I am dr lisa
7:03 scott mckenzie, commissioner
7:04 of the New York City
7:05 department for the aging and
7:07 I'm joined by janine ventura,
7:09 assistant commissioner for
7:11 inter agency collaboration. It
7:12 is a great pleasure to joi
7:14 nyou here today to discuss New
7:16 York City aging interagency
7:19 coordination for older adults
7:20 . And how we are utilizing the
7:21 New York City cabinet for
7:22 older New yorkers to ensure
7:25 that New York city's fastest
7:27 growing demographic adults age
7:29 60 and older is served through
7:32 budget neutral initiatives
7:33 across agencies, the cabinet
7:35 is a unique interagency model
7:38 that New York City and this
7:41 administration is using t
7:42 oadvance an age inclusive
7:43 . City by bringing together
7:45 City agencies to cultivate
7:46 lasting sustainable change.
7:49 Through the cabinet for
7:50 older New yorkers
7:51 . Member agencies led by
7:53 agency heads and supported by
7:56 liaisons, collaborate by
7:57 identifying gaps or barriers
7:59 in existing services by
8:00 utilizing a structure of
8:02 working groups.
8:02 Which developed initiatives
8:05 to address the everyday
8:06 challenges experienced by
8:06 older New yorkers as you know
8:09 New York City aging
8:11 administers a wide range of
8:13 programs that enhance the
8:14 independence and quality of
8:16 life of the city's older adult
8:19 population
8:19 . A key component to New York
8:20 City aging beijing's mission
8:22 is to ensure that all older
8:23 New yorkers have access t
8:25 oboth City services and
8:26 programs at our agency.
8:29 And with our partners in
8:32 City government
8:33 . And to work toward reducing
8:34 barriers that hinder and older
8:35 adults ability to age in place
8:39 with dignity while improving
8:40 thr qeiuality of life.
8:42 I am excited to discuss with
8:43 you the origin of the cabinet
8:45 how it functions and the
8:47 recent impacts we have seen
8:49 through cabinet initiatives.
8:50 The cabinet for older New
8:52 yorkers reinforces that City
8:54 agencies invest in the lives
8:55 of older adults combat ageism,
8:58 and break down
9:00 communications silos that
9:01 prevent New York City from
9:03 becoming truly age inclusive
9:06 .we largely do this work
9:07 through budget neutral
9:08 approaches is made possible to
9:11 innovative agency
9:12 collaborations in my
9:13 . Time as commissioner
9:14 . I have been devoted t
9:16 ounderstanding the meat and
9:18 potatoes issues, which all the
9:19 New yorkers experience and how
9:22 concerns the reality is that
9:28 too many older New yorkers
9:30 have a housing concern or
9:33 experiencing food and security
9:35 need help during a weather
9:38 emergency or adjusting to
9:40 returning to the
9:40 . Workforce, the cabinet for
9:41 all the New yorkers raises
9:44 these and other issues as cit
9:46 y. What concerns? Not
9:48 necessarily as older adults on
9:50 New York City aging concerns.
9:53 When the concept of age
9:54 friendly environments was
9:55 first developed nearly 15
9:57 years ago, different levels of
9:59 got different levels of
10:00 government and community
10:02 organizations first explore
10:03 dthe issue that agent should
10:04 not be siloed into disparate
10:06 organizations are structured,
10:09 council and other elected
10:11 partners have always been part
10:12 of the discussion to the age
10:14 friendly coalition, which
10:16 operates alongside the cabinet
10:17 for all the yorkers
10:20 . Because we saw the need for
10:20 a component parts of.
10:22 Government to collaborate
10:24 and innovate to address issues
10:26 affecting older adults we
10:27 tried to address problems in
10:30 between agencies as needs were
10:33 identified.
10:34 While this was a necessary
10:35 first step. The gaps which
10:36 remain in that need to further
10:38 collaborate on issues grew
10:40 organically into the formation
10:41 of the cabinet for old in
10:43 yorkers
10:44 . We are building off the same
10:46 success is collaborative task
10:48 forces have seen on domestic
10:50 violence, or children's
10:52 welfare issues,
10:52 and addressing in addressing
10:53 the needs of older adults.
10:56 This age inclusive approac
10:57 hensures that we are supporting
10:59 two pillows of our community
11:01 that formed the bridge of
11:03 effective social services,
11:04 youth and older adults.
11:07 In previous administrations,
11:08 the City promoted to continued
11:10 commitment to enter agency
11:12 collaborations promoting
11:13 government efficiency and
11:15 ensuring age inclusive
11:16 practices are implemented in
11:18 agencies. The first of its
11:20 kind
11:20 . Multi agency collaborative
11:22 was created to support the
11:25 services
11:25 . Projects and policies that
11:26 benefit older adults across
11:27 New York City, the cabinet for
11:29 all the New York first met on
11:34 September 21 2022 and included
11:35 at that time, 17:00 agencies
11:37 across New York City focused
11:39 on coordinating and leveraging
11:41 shared resources to develop
11:44 long term.
11:45 Solutions based initiatives
11:46 and projects to benefit older
11:49 adults
11:49 . Ultimately the cabinet, but
11:50 told the New yorkers is the
11:52 function of the administration
11:53 and is not a white paper
11:55 endeavor meant.
11:57 To study demographic or
11:58 soal sciocietal impacts on an
11:58 older adults light
12:02 . And then simply released a
12:02 report. We are instead using
12:06 collective knowledge across
12:08 member
12:08 . Agencies as directed by the
12:10 Mayor to address real problems
12:12 that we know about and make a
12:13 tangible impact on an older
12:17 adults life.
12:17 As codified by lower
12:18 introduced by the council and
12:20 local law 64 20 24.
12:23 Member agencies are diverse
12:25 and wide ranging they spend
12:27 the entire administration and
12:28 range of government areas and
12:30 services provided to New York
12:34 City. These agencies have an
12:36 overlapping focus relevant t
12:39 oolder adults
12:39 . At present the cabinet
12:40 comprises.
12:41 30 Member as outlined in the
12:44 local law, including the
12:46 department of transportation.
12:48 Department of health and
12:50 mental hygiene, health plus
12:52 hospitals, the police
12:53 department, department of
12:54 parks and rec and housing and
12:57 preservation and development
12:58 just to name a few
13:01 . There are four cabinet
13:03 subcommittees health housing,
13:06 intergenerational outreach and
13:08 engagement cabinet member
13:09 agency staff serve as liaisons
13:12 as designated by their
13:13 commissioner or agency had t
13:15 omeet independently and
13:18 cultivate collaborations in
13:18 service to older New yorkers
13:20 they meet quarterly as a group
13:22 in person or hybrid.
13:25 In addition, on a.
13:26 Quarterly basis cabinet
13:27 member agencies present
13:29 initiatives and outcomes to a
13:31 larger group, which includes
13:33 agency heads and commissioners
13:34 as well as deputy mayors. The
13:37 sub developed initiatives that
13:38 set the groundwork for
13:41 systemic change and long term.
13:42 Impact while responding t
13:43 ocurrent gaps and needs
13:46 . Since our last hearing o
13:47 ninter agency collaboration and
13:49 the legislation on the cabinet
13:52 for older yorkers
13:52 . Initiatives have yielded
13:54 tangible impact for older
13:55 adults by
13:57 . Making meaningful changes
13:58 through agency collaboration,
14:01 for instance, New York City
14:02 public schools held the secon
14:04 dannual anti ageism education
14:07 iative combination and
14:08 recognition event at the paley
14:09 center for media inmates
14:13 ,participating teachers and
14:14 administrators were recognized
14:16 and schools receive the waters
14:18 anti ageism champions and anti
14:21 ageism innovators in addition,
14:24 the New York City public
14:25 school system service in
14:27 school kids action team held
14:28 this annual celebration of
14:30 service.
14:30 Which highlighted
14:32 incorporating anti ageism
14:34 education with community
14:34 service for kay through three
14:37 students for a third
14:40 consecutive year through
14:40 . The anti ageism education
14:43 initiative implemented by New
14:44 York City public schools under
14:46 the cabinet, which is informed
14:48 by subject matter expertise at
14:49 New York City, aging teachers
14:52 and administrators are
14:53 equipped with the tools t