HCR rental assistance

Dear Neighbor,

Applications for New York's new COVID-19 rental assistance program will open for two weeks beginning on Thursday, July 16. If you're experiencing financial hardship and are unable to pay rent, this new program may be able to help. The application will be publicly available online at: HCR.NY.gov/RRP.

*Click here to learn about New York's COVID Rent Relief Program*

Under the new program, eligible households will benefit from a one-time rental subsidy paid directly to landlords and housing providers. Tenants are not required to repay this assistance. To qualify, applicants must meet all of the eligibility requirements:

Must be a renter with a primary residence in New York State.
Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household income (including unemployment benefits) must be below 80 percent of the Area Median Income, adjusted for household size. You can find the Area Median Income for Manhattan, based on household size, at this link.
Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, the household must have been "rent burdened," which is defined as paying more than 30 percent of gross monthly income towards rent.
Applicants must have lost income during any period between April 1, 2020 and July 31, 2020.
The application period will begin on July 16 and will be open for two weeks. Residents can apply any time during the two-week period.

The program will be administered by the department of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). HCR will prioritize households with greatest economic and social need, accounting for income, rent burden, percent of income lost and risk of homelessness.

The rental assistance payment will cover the difference between the household's rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the increase in rent burden during the period the household is applying for assistance. Households can apply for up to four months in rental assistance for the months of April through July. The program is open to households that rent apartments, single-family homes, manufactured homes and manufactured home lots.

For more information about the program, please visit HCR's website at: HCR.NY.gov/RRP. You can also email me at Hoylman@NYSenate.gov or leave a voice mail for my office at 212-633-8052—my team and I are here to help.

Sincerely,