Division of Housing and Community Renewal

The 21-day amendments to the Executive Budget recommend the following changes (analysis as of February 13, 2008):

• Reduces General Fund personal service appropriations by - $861,000 as follows:
  • Administration a reduction of $288,000; the total appropriation is now $4.3 million, a $288,000 decrease from the SFY 2007-08 enacted appropriation.
  • Housing Information Systems a reduction of $288,000; the total appropriation is now $4.4 million, a $288,000 decrease from the SFY 2007-08 enacted appropriation.
  • Rent Administration a reduction of $285,000; the total appropriation is now $2.5 million, a $285,000 decrease from the SFY 2007-08 enacted appropriation.

This results in an overall agency appropriation of $101.7million which is an increase of $3.1 million from the overall SFY 2007-08 enacted budget appropriation.

The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of January 27, 2008):

A FY 2008-09 workforce of 950.  This level of FTEs remains unchanged from the adjusted FTE level for FY 2007-08.

·         No change in the Personal Service appropriation of $57 million.

·         An All Funds increase of $4 million from SFY 2007-08.  The entire increase is due to increases in contractual services in the following program areas:

1.      Administration Program - $2 million or 27% increase.  According to the NYS Assembly analysis this is necessary to accommodate increased lease costs for offices in NYC.

2.      Housing Information Systems - $2 million or 84% increase.  According to the NYS Assembly analysis this is necessary to support required information technology upgrades. 

·         The number of FTE consultant employees increases to 13 from 9 and the average cost per consultant FTE employee increases to $146,000.  Consulting service disbursements are expected to increase by $1.1 million.  The purpose and use of these contract employees and whether they can be replaced by state employees should be clarified at statewide labor management.