Health & Environment Active Updated Oct 2, 2026
The SNAP work-requirement cutoffs
New York City closed more than 22,200 SNAP cases in June once a three-month grace period on the 2025 federal reconciliation law's work rules ended, requiring able-bodied adults without dependents to log 80 hours a month of work, school, or service and erasing automatic exemptions that used to cover homeless people and those aged out of foster care. The city says the cutoffs cost more than $5 million a month in food aid, concentrated among adults 18 to 35 living alone. The fight is over whether city outreach can keep pace as more grace periods lapse this fall.
The story so far
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Oct 1, 2026 Latest
Gothamist reported that the 26,500 New Yorkers cut off SNAP by the federal work rules can reapply this month for three more months of aid.
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Sep 12, 2026
The Robin Hood Foundation estimated that the more than 22,000 SNAP cases New York City closed in June under the new federal work rules will push another 70,000 people into poverty, Brownstoner reported.
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Jul 27, 2026
New York City closed more than 22,200 SNAP cases in June once the three-month grace period on the 2025 federal reconciliation law's 80-hour work rule ended, costing the city more than $5 million a month in food aid. Commissioner Erin Dalton said outreach had already helped more than 220,000 of 343,000 at-risk residents win exemptions, with cuts concentrated among adults 18 to 35 living alone, 42% in Brooklyn and 26% in the Bronx.
Gothamist 
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