By Lee A. Daniels
A two-year-long program just begun by New York City’s agency for the homeless to test how good its services are has provoked harsh criticism because it appears to arbitrarily deny help to some needy families.

The effort is part of the city Department of Homeless Services’ “Homebase” program whose specific purpose is to help homeless families. The experiment involves 400 families whose financial situation has deteriorated so badly they are nearly destitute and had applied to the agency this summer for help.