Opinion ID: 319798
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hurley v. Van Lare.

Text: 13 Appellee Rose Hurley lives with her three dependent children, aged ten, five and five years, in Mount Vernon, New York. She and her children have been living apart from her husband since 1967; she has had no contact with him since 1967 and does not know where he is. The Hurleys receive public assistance under the New York AFDC plan as it is administered by the Westchester County Department of Social Services. 14 During the four-month period from November 1970 to February 1971, an unrelated male friend of Mrs. Hurley stayed with her and her children at their Mount Vernon residence. The friend was under no legal obligation to support the Hurleys, and in fact he made no contribution to their support. His presence did not increase the amount of rent that Hurley was obliged to pay, $150.00 per month. During the same four-month period, the Westchester Department of Social Services deducted $35 per month from Hurley's recurring AFDC grant, presumably in accordance with 18 N.Y.C.R.R. 352.30(d). 15 On November 12, 1970, Hurley requested a 'Fair Hearing,' a proceeding provided for in 18 N.Y.C.R.R. 358.1-358.27, to review the reduction of her AFDC grant. A hearing was held on March 22, 1971, and on September 20, 1971, appellant Van Lare, the Acting State Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, rendered a 'Decision after Fair Hearing' in which he found the facts to be substantially as stated above. He upheld the determination of the Westchester County Department that Hurley's grant should be reduced, but diminished the amount of the reduction to $30.00. 16 Thereafter, on August 11, 1972, Hurley brought an action in the District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of herself and all others similarly affected by sections 352.31(a)(3)(iv) and 352.30(d) to secure declaratory relief, an injunction against enforcement of the regulations, and judgment for retroactive AFDC payments. 17 Defendants Van Lare and Lavine, appellants here, are respectively Acting Commissioner and Commissioner of the Department of Social Services of New York, and defendant Kurtis is Commission of Social Service for Westchester County. 18 Hurley based her demand for an injunction on the theory that she has not associated with her friend out of fear that her public assistance grant will be reduced, as it was in November 1970, by the enforcement of sections 352.31(a) (3)(iv) and 352.30(d). She contended that the regulations are offensive to the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, that they are in violation of her rights of privacy and free association, and that they are invalid under section 402 and 406 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 602, 606 (1970), and 45 C.F.R. 233.90(a). 19 The district court did not convene a three-judge court under 28 U.S.C. 2284 (1970) to consider the merits of the constitutional claims. See 28 U.S.C. 2281 (1970). But the district court determined that at least the Due Process claim is sufficiently substantial to vest the court with subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1343(3) (1970), and that under the doctrine of pendent subject matter jurisdiction it had the power to decide the statutory claim. 20 On Hurley's motion for summary judgment, the district court held that the New York regulations violate section 406 of the Social Security Act and 45 C.F.R. 233.90(a), as interpreted by the Supreme Court in King v. Smith, 392 U.S. 309, 88 S.Ct. 2128, 20 L.Ed.2d 1118 (1968), and Lewis v. Martin, 397 U.S. 552, 90 S.Ct. 1282, 25 L.Ed.2d 561 (1970): 21 'The inevitable result of these regulations is to reduce, perhaps drastically, the stipend for those who are eligible. In the case of a mother with one child, for example, the presence of a non-contributing male lodger would reduce the rental stipend by 33 1/3%. This devastating reduction means in practice that rental payments must be met out of that portion of the welfare stipend allotted for food and clothing. 22 'The (New York) regulations thus conflict directly with 233.90 . . .. Despite the defendants' protestations to the contrary, a pro rata reduction does indeed assume that the male lodger will pay his own way, whether or not he actually does. That is precisely the assumption found impermissible in King and Lewis.' 365 F.Supp. at 186. 23 In granting summary judgment, the district court gave declaratory relief and enjoined appellants from enforcing the challenged regulations, but denied Hurley's claim for retroactive welfare payments. 2 The district court also granted Hurley's motion that the action be designated a class action under Rule 23(c). 24 The appellants have appealed the order granting the summary judgment and class action motions, and Hurley has appealed the denial of retroactive benefits. 25