The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will provide $2B in economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance.
Applications for the program are now being accepted for eligible New Yorkers who are behind on their rent and have suffered financial hardship due to COVID-19. The New York State ERAP will provide assistance with up to twelve months of past-due rent, three months of prospective rental assistance and twelve months of utility arrears payments to eligible New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status.
Households approved for ERAP may receive:
- Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
- Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance if the household is expected to spend 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to pay for rent.
- Up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears payments for arrears that have accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
For the first 30 days of the program, priority will be given to households in the following order:
Households with income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) that also include a household member who:
- Is currently unemployed for at least 90 days; or
- Is a veteran; or
- Is currently experiencing domestic violence or is a survivor of human trafficking; or
- Has an eviction case related to their current residence pending in court; or
- Resides in a mobile home; or
- Lives in a community that was disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 (Check your ZIP Code); or
- Lives in a dwelling of 20 or fewer units.
There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program, so forward this article to anyone and everyone struggling with backed up rent payments.