New York’s Oct. 1 reset gives affected residents another chance to apply, including in the Mohawk Valley.
NEW YORK — SNAP reapplication is opening for New Yorkers who lost food benefits after reaching the program’s work-rule time limit. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a citywide outreach campaign Oct. 1 to help affected New York City residents re-enroll. State guidance confirms that the time-limit reset also applies outside the city, making the development relevant to Utica and the Mohawk Valley.
The reset gives affected people another opportunity to apply. It does not automatically restore every case or remove ongoing work requirements. Applicants still need an eligibility review and should ask whether an exemption or approved activity applies to them.
“Food should not be a luxury in New York City,” Mamdani said in the Mayor’s Office announcement.
What changes on Oct. 1?
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, known as OTDA, says the SNAP time limit for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents resets Oct. 1, 2026.
People who lost benefits between June 1 and Sept. 30, 2026, because they did not meet these work rules can reapply. Outside New York City, the state directs residents to myBenefits.ny.gov. NYC residents can use the city’s benefits system.
The work-rule category is commonly called ABAWD. State guidance describes it as people ages 18 through 64 who are able to work and are not living with a child younger than 14. Exemptions can change how the rules apply to an individual.
For people subject to the stricter rules, SNAP is generally limited to three months in a three-year period unless they meet the work or qualifying-activity standard, or qualify for an exemption.
What New York City is doing
The city says its new campaign will reach approximately 26,500 residents who lost benefits under expanded federal requirements. Officials say these requirements took effect locally March 1, 2026, and affected residents began losing benefits in June.
The campaign aims to reduce paperwork barriers, identify exemptions and connect residents with employment, education and community-service options that can satisfy the rules.
The administration reports that earlier outreach helped more than 220,000 New Yorkers keep SNAP. It says more than 98% of eligible recipients maintained benefits and that the number projected to lose assistance fell by 65%.
Those figures are the administration’s account of its outreach results. The release does not provide an independent evaluation of the campaign or enough detail to reproduce each percentage. They should not be treated as a measure of how many new applications will be approved.
Earlier outreach included calls and community partnerships
According to the release, city staff and partners knocked on 10,000 doors and completed 40,000 person-to-person phone calls. The effort included partnerships with more than 100 community organizations.
The city also reports webinars reaching more than 6,500 partners, nearly 50 training sessions and more than 40 community pop-up events. Public information appeared on social media, bus shelters and other city communication channels.
The new push builds on those methods. Its immediate purpose is to reach people whose benefits stopped and tell them that another application opportunity is available.
Who may qualify for an exemption?
OTDA’s published guidance lists several possible exemptions from the stricter ABAWD rules. A person may be exempt because of age, pregnancy, disability, health limits or qualifying household circumstances.
Examples include:
- Being age 65 or older or younger than 18.
- Living in a household with a child younger than 14.
- Receiving qualifying disability benefits.
- Being pregnant.
- Being unable to work at least 80 hours a month because of a physical or mental health reason.
- Qualifying for specified exemptions from the general SNAP work rules.
This is not the complete list. The state’s page explains other circumstances, including certain caregiving, treatment, school and work situations. Applicants should ask their local social-services office to review the current rules against their individual case.
An exemption from the work-rule time limit is not the same as automatic eligibility for SNAP. Other program conditions still apply.
How affected residents can meet the rules
State guidance describes paid or unpaid work of 20 hours a week, or 80 hours a month, as one qualifying route. Approved job-skills and education activities can also qualify.
Volunteer or community-service options use a different calculation based on the benefit amount and applicable minimum wage. Do not assume every volunteer role requires the same hours as paid work.
Before relying on a class, job-search activity or volunteer assignment, ask the social-services office whether it is approved and how to document participation. The state tells recipients to report qualifying activities so the district can explain monthly reporting requirements.
A practical reapplication checklist
- Find the notice that ended your benefits. Check whether it cites the ABAWD time limit or another reason.
- Use the correct application system. Mohawk Valley residents can start through myBenefits or their county Department of Social Services.
- Ask for an exemption review. Explain relevant health, household or caregiving circumstances.
- Prepare supporting records. Follow the office’s instructions for income, household information and any work-rule documentation.
- Keep the application confirmation. Save copies and track requests for interviews or additional information.
These steps help organize a case; they do not replace the office’s eligibility determination. Do not conclude that you are ineligible without checking the current guidance or asking for help.
Where NYC and Utica residents can get help
New York City residents can call 718-SNAP-NOW, or 718-762-7669, for assistance. The Mayor’s Office also points to the ACCESS HRA app and ACCESS HRA website.
Utica-area readers should use their county’s Department of Social Services or the state’s myBenefits system. OTDA’s local-office directory identifies the appropriate county office.
The state’s SNAP questions and answers also lists 1-800-342-3009 as a route to local office information. It explains that online eligibility screening is not an application or a final approval decision.
OTDA says households with little or no money may qualify for expedited SNAP. Eligible expedited cases receive initial benefits within seven days, while required eligibility steps and documentation still must be completed. Ask the office about screening if your household urgently needs food assistance.
The reset is a chance to act
The city campaign responds to benefit losses, while the state reset creates a new application opportunity. Both point to the same next step for affected households: review the termination notice and contact the appropriate benefits office.
For Mohawk Valley residents, the practical message is local. If benefits ended because of the work-rule time limit, check the Oct. 1 guidance, reapply through the state or county and ask what you need to do to keep assistance going.
