Testimony of Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson New York City Council Committees on Parks and Recreation, Health, and General Welfare

Good morning, and thank you to Chairs Krishnan, Schulman, and Ayala for convening this
important hearing today regarding the future of Hart Island and the important work to ensure
that all New Yorkers can be buried with dignity and without placing severe burdens on their
families.
The proposed Resolution 775 calls on the state to increase the funeral cost limit of burial
services for low-income residents from $3,400 to $6,000. This is a common-sense measure
that would bring the cap more in line with the real cost of burial.
With the costs of funerals and cremations rising and inflation and a weakening economy
increasing burdens on our households, particularly low-income households, we must do
more to ensure that all New Yorkers can be appropriately buried and mourned by their
families.
It's always difficult to lose a loved one, but for low-income families, their grief is
compounded by the looming difficulty of paying for their loved one's funeral. Our city must
ensure that every family can grieve in peace and that all our residents can find dignity in their
final resting places.
In an era where too many families are forced to turn to crowdfunding to scrape together the
funds to pay for burial, our city must step in to fill the gap. The HRA's burial assistance
program is a lifeline that must be made more accessible to families as costs rise.
I urge the state to move expeditiously to raise the cap for our low-income residents. Thank
you to Councilmember Louis for introducing this resolution, and I hope the full Council will
act to pass it soon