Nearly 250 New Yorkers are moving out of city shelters and into their own homes in the Bronx.

The Department of Homeless Services and community-based organizations are working together to create more housing for people with CityFHEPS vouchers. The vouchers support low-income families and individuals who are currently in the shelter system and need rental assistance.

DSS says more than 9,000 people are living in city shelters with CityFHEPS vouchers.

"Housing availability is the biggest challenge to getting people out of shelter, with 1.4% vacancy rate and an even lower vacancy rate for units at cheaper rents it's incredibly difficult to find, we are using every tool in our toolbox to support clients in finding a new home," said Meghan Smith, the associate commissioner for rehousing operations for DHS.

4427 White Plains Road in Wakefield is one of four new affordable housing units that opened in the Bronx to address the crisis. It has been leased to families and individuals with CityFHEPS.

Olga Padilla is one of 59 tenants who moved out of a city shelter and into the new construction building on White Plains Road.

"Today I have a home, as you can see this is my place and I love it," said Padilla.

Padilla found herself in a shelter after years of battling a drug addiction. She says for the last 25 years, she bounced around boroughs renting rooms but never had a stable home.

"I used to love going to jail, it's crazy but I used to love to go to jail because I needed a rest," said Padilla.

Padilla got connected with VIP Community Services while living in a shelter near Crotona Park. The Bronx-based nonprofit is one of the four community organizations working with DSS under the Affordable Housing Services Initiative. Through the initiative, nonprofits can buy or take long-term leases on housing sites.

"This is not just a property where you just walk up and get affordable housing. They are trying to move these families and individuals out of shelter and into permanent housing with some light touch case management services," said Dr. Natalie Richardson, with VIP Community Services.

The next site will be opening in November and will have 63 apartments. The site is being sponsored by the DOE Fund.