New York, NY —

More poor New Yorkers are signing up for food stamps, but a new study shows many of them don't keep the benefit for very long. The Urban Justice Center analyzed 10,000 food stamp cases and found 61% of food stamp users are cut off within a year and a half.

REPORTER: One reason is that many miss their re-certification appointments. Rebecca Widom from the UJC says families end up re-applying to start the process all over again.

WIDOM: In addition to those lost benefits for them, their family - the city had to spend more money because the application process is more resource intensive than the re-certification process.

REPORTER: The report recommends that the city extend food stamps so they last longer and allow people to renew over the phone. The Human Resources Administration says the vast majority of people do get re-certified. An HRA official says the state is looking at ways to make the process easier.