ERAP FOR LANDLORDS WITH CAVEATS TO CONSIDER

The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will provide significant 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.

Seven communities that received funding for emergency rental assistance directly from the federal government opted to administer their own programs. Residents of City of Rochester and Monroe County, the City of Yonkers, Onondaga County and the towns of Hempstead, Islip and Oyster Bay must apply with their local programs for emergency rental assistance and are ineligible for assistance from the state-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

NOTE: Landlords can also make an application, agreeing that the information provided, including the amount of rental arrears owed, is accurate and does not duplicate a payment received from another program. However, the property owner or authorized property management company must also agree to the following terms as a condition of accepting rental arrears payments:

    1) The ERAP payment satisfies the tenant’s full rental obligations for the time period covered by the payment.

    2) Waive any late fees due on any rental arrears covered by the ERAP payment.

    3) Not increase the monthly rental amount above the monthly amount due at the time of application for ERAP assistance for months for which rental assistance is received and for one year from receipt of the ERAP payment.

    4) Not evict the household on behalf of whom the ERAP payment is made for reason of expired lease or holdover tenancy for one year from the receipt of the ERAP payment. An exception to this requirement shall be made if the dwelling unit contains four or fewer units and the property owner or owner’s immediate family members intend to immediately occupy the unit for use as a primary residence.