The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), administered by the State Department of Civil Service (Civil Service), is one of the nation's largest public sector health insurance programs. NYSHIP covers over 1.2 million active and retired State, local government, and school district employees, and their dependents. The Empire Plan is the primary health benefits plan for NYSHIP, covering 1.1 million of the NYSHIP members.

This report is the third issued by the Office of the State Comptroller since 2009 concerning affordable housing in New York City.

New York State offers a variety of programs, services and benefits for the nearly 900,000 veterans living in the State. These programs are intended to help veterans address any challenges they may face as a result of their military service, while honoring their dedication and the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our country.

New York State’s prison population has been decreasing, but the number of older inmates has been on the rise.

The percentage of New York State households with housing costs above the affordability threshold, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), rose for both homeowners and renters from 2000 to 2012, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

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Access to a habitable and secure place to live is a basic human need, essential to good health and well‐being. Keeping New Yorkers housed is costly, however. Government spends billions of dollars annually to assist developers, owners, and renters.

New York State continues to experience record numbers of homeless people. Generally, the focus of media coverage and policy discussions is on New York City and other large metropolitan areas as they contain the largest populations of homeless.

Beginning in the 1990s, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has gradually transformed its residential treatment services for people with severe mental illness into supportive housing programs that are integrated in the community rather than institutional settings.

Homelessness is a troubling, chronic problem nationally and in New York State. Veterans of U.S. military service have made up a disproportionate share of our nation’s homeless population.

After almost a full decade of U.S. economic expansion, too many New Yorkers still face real challenges making ends meet. One clear sign of this troubling reality is the millions of renters and homeowners in our State who struggle with high housing costs.