Key Issues For New York’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Renters and landlords are hurting in New York but the good news is that aid from Washington is now on its way. We have been receiving many questions about program status:

• Is OTDA on track to open a application portal in March?
• How can landlords and tenants prepare to apply?
• Will the Albany legislate additional requirements and protections?

It is critical that rent relief is delivered in an easy to access program, in an application available to tenants and landlords, and that targeted outreach is made to hardest hit communities inclusive of undocumented households and small landlords. It is time for New York to recover and paying back rent is an important step in moving out of this crisis. 

NYHC has outlined key aspects of the program, including status and funding, and highlighted critical issues that will be important to get right in the delivery of New York State’s emergency rental assistance program. Read the new policy brief here.