New York tenant financial assistance program extended: how to apply

New York pandemic rental emergency program has been extended until Thursday, August 6. The publication told about who has the right to participate in it and how to apply. Democrat & Chronicle.

New Yorkers have a few extra days to apply for the COVID Rent Relief Program. The deadline for such applications has been extended until Thursday 6 August. It was supposed to expire on July 30th. This was reported by the Department of Home and Community Renovation.

“The legislature developed the COVID Rent Relief Program to help New Yorkers who are most at risk and burdened with rents after losing income due to the pandemic,” said agency commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas. “By keeping the online portal open for another week, we can be sure that everyone who needs help has the opportunity to receive it.”

You can apply in several languages on this site.

The state also has a call center to assist residents. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 19 pm. You can call by phone 1-833-499-0318 or write by e-mail [email protected].

Each region also has community groups to assist non-English speakers with applications, and an Office for New Americans.

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Residents can authorize an employee, attorney, or other personal representative to apply to the program on their behalf. For this, there is a form that must be filled out here.

Below you will find answers to the most common questions regarding participation in the program.

Am I eligible to participate?

Under this program, households eligible for a one-time rental subsidy can obtain it directly from landlords and home owners.

Tenants are not required to return money.

Here are the requirements:

• You must be a tenant with your primary residence in New York City.
• Prior to March 1 and at the time of application, household income (including unemployment benefits) must be less than 80% of the median income in a specific area, depending on the size of the household. Here you can find this data.
• Until March 1, the household must be “burdened with rent,” which is defined as spending more than 30% of gross monthly income on rent.
• The applicants lost their income in any period from April 1 to July 31.

For example, if your monthly household income is $ 2000, then 30% of that income is $ 600, but you pay $ 700 a month in rent. If so, you are eligible for assistance.

To apply, visit this site.

The program is open to households that rent apartments, single-family houses, industrial houses and industrial building plots.

Tenants receiving the Housing Choice Voucher or those living in social housing are not eligible for assistance.

How much can I get?

First of all, the state authorities promised to provide support to households with the greatest economic and social need. This will take into account "income, rental burden, percentage of lost income and risk of homelessness."

Please note that the allocated funds do not cover all rent. They cover only the difference between the “rental burden” of a household on March 1 and the increase in the rental burden due to the impact of the coronavirus.

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You can apply for a rent waiver four months in advance. Again, the money is paid directly to the resident homeowner and is expected to be paid out in late summer.

This is how it works in practice. For example, before the pandemic, your monthly income was $ 2000. And the monthly rent was $ 700. This means that you spent 35% of your income on rent. But now, due to shorter hours, your monthly income has dropped to $ 1400, and your rent is the same. This means that you pay 50% of your monthly rental income. Therefore, you are eligible for a subsidy that covers a 15 percent rent increase, or $ 210.

What if I have already paid the rent?

If you paid part or all of your rent between April 1 and July 31, you can still get help.

There are several options:

• Tenants may ask their landlord to use the payment received as an advance payment for one or more months starting August 1st.
• The landlord can ask the landlord for a prepayment deposit if it was used to pay the rent.
• Residents will be asked to indicate how they want the assistance to be used when applying.
• Landlords and other housing providers are required to accept the COVID Rental Assistance Program.
• Renters and landlords will receive notice from the state when payment will be made.

What if I have roommates?

In this case, you can also apply, but only for the part of the rental for which you are personally responsible. If both the resident and his roommate seek help, they must apply together as households.

Do I have to tell the landlord that I applied?

The state encourages you to do this to avoid misunderstandings. Both the tenant and the landlord will receive a disbursement notification.

Can a landlord ask for help on behalf of their tenants?

Not. Only an eligible employer can apply on behalf of their household.