From January 11th to January 19th, the state's Emergency Rental Assistance Program received 9,000 applications from renters who said they can’t pay their rent due to a COVID-19-related hardship. Tenants who applied for relief are protected from evictions.
Demonstrators attend a rally in Cadman Plaza Park calling for an extension of the state's eviction ban.Demonstrators attend a rally in Cadman Plaza Park calling for an extension of the state's eviction ban.A week after a pandemic-era moratorium on evictions ended, thousands of low-income New Yorkers behind on rent sought help from an emergency rent relief program, illustrating that many more households are at risk of losing their homes.
Tenants who applied for relief are protected from evictions while they wait to find out whether their request for funds to cover rent and utility arrears have been approved or denied. In one Bronx building near the Grand Concourse, 20 out of the 21 tenants owe rent ranging from $300 to $28,000, Gojcaj said. Four of the renters owe more than $20,000 each.
Martin said his group is lobbying state and federal governments to add more money to ERAP, which was funded with $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money, but has since run out of money. While tenant advocates have feared the end of the statewide moratorium would lead to mass evictions, the process of removing renters from their homes for non-payment will take months to work its way through the court system, according to Ellen Davidson of the Legal Aid Society.
While tenants living in rent-regulated apartments have more protections there are millions of tenants who live in unregulated apartments who don’t have the same level of protection, said Cea Weaver, a housing advocate and campaign coordinator for Housing Justice for All, a statewide coalition of more than 80 organizations representing tenants and homeless individuals.