Summary
While policies and procedures were modified or altered in recent previous years due to COVID-19, many are no longer in place. This section contains changes that remain as of December 2022.
- CITYFHEPS
- Eviction Moratoriums
- FHEPS
- Housing Discrimination
- NYC Housing Court
- NYCHA
- Rent Relief
CITYFHEPS
SUMMARY
CityFHEPS is a rent subsidy program administered by NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) for households not eligible for State FHEPS who are in shelter or at risk of entering shelter and income is at or below 200% FPL.
If you are a Benefits Plus Online subscriber, for additional information on CityFHEPS, refer to
For subscription information visit: https://bplc.cssny.org/home/subscription_options.
APPLICANT HOUSEHOLDS
NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) has changed some eligibility requirements for the CityFHEPS program for applicant households in the community (not in shelter).
Households can continue to apply for CityFHEPS at their local Homebase
Housing Court Case is Not Required
Until December 31, 2022, households in the community (that is, not residing in a shelter) may be eligible for CityFHEPS without the need for an eviction case in Housing Court, if the landlord has made a written rent demand or given the tenant a letter threatening to sue for nonpayment and eviction. As part of the CityFHEPS application, the household will have to provide the written rent demand or written threat of eviction and a completed the hardship declaration form. (This hardship declaration form was used by NYS tenants to prevent eviction under the NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA), which is no longer in effect.)
There are no other COVID-19 related eligibility changes to CityFHEPS.
SHOPPING LETTERS
Households that have been approved for CITYFHEPS receive a shopping letter to begin looking for housing.
Shopping letters expiration dates for households in shelter are being extended. Households in receipt of shopping letters due to employment will keep their shopping letters regardless of loss of employment or reduction in hours.
Households not in receipt of shopping letters and who lost employment due to COVID-19 but would have otherwise been eligible for shopping letters can submit their unemployment information to HRA/NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to receive a shopping letter.
FHEPS
SUMMARY
FHEPS is a rent supplement for NYC households with minor dependent children in receipt of Cash Assistance (CA) who have been evicted or who are facing eviction, or who lost their housing because of health or safety issues, certain court decisions, or domestic violence. FHEPS is administered by NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) and NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
If you are a _Benefits Plus Online subscriber, for additional information on FHEPS, refer to
For subscription information visit:
https://bplc.cssny.org/home/subscription_options.
ELIGIBILITY OF APPLICANT HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COMMUNITY
NYS OTDA approved a waiver that eliminates the “Lawsuit Requirement” for State FHEPS applications until December 31, 2022.
Until December 31, 2022, households in the community (that is, not residing in a shelter) may be eligible for FHEPS without the need for an eviction case in Housing Court, if the landlord has made a written rent demand or given the tenant a letter threatening to sue for nonpayment and eviction. As part of the FHEPS application, the household will have to provide the written rent demand or written threat of eviction and a completed the hardship declaration form. (This hardship declaration form was used by NYS tenants to prevent eviction under the NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA), which is no longer in effect.)
There are no other COVID-19 related eligibility changes to CityFHEPS.
Prior to the waiver, to qualify for FHEPS when households are not residing in a shelter, the household must be in the community facing homelessness or will become homeless by meeting one of the following criteria:
- Subject to an eviction proceeding due to nonpayment of excess rent, or
- Subject to an eviction proceeding within the last 12 months, or
- Foreclosure action has commenced.
While the waiver is in place, a household may be eligible for State FHEPS without the need for an eviction case in Housing Court, if the landlord has made a written rent demand or given the tenant a letter threatening to sue for nonpayment and eviction. The household will also have to complete the hardship declaration form utilized to prevent eviction until January 15, 2022 under the NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (EEFPA). To learn more about this form and _EEFPA, see above, Eviction Moratoriums, Protections Against Residential Evictions, NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act.
All other eligibility requirements for State FHEPS remain unchanged.
Tenants who are being sued in housing court should consult with an attorney to determine if there are any eviction protections that will prevent an eviction, see above, Eviction Moratoriums, Protections Against Residential Evictions.
NYC Tenants without legal representation who receive notices from the court should call 311 and/or Housing Court Answers at 212-962-4795, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. When calling 311, tenants should ask to be connected to the Tenant Helpline, where they may be able to access free legal representation. Housing Court Answers is a valuable resource for questions about answering court notices and the current housing court processes.
Tenants with legal representation should contact their attorneys.
For additional tenant resources, see below Additional Resources, Tenant Resources.
APPLYING FOR FHEPS
Households who are represented by a nonprofit legal service provider should work with their attorney or contact their nearest Homebase to access and apply for FHEPS.
Households that do not have legal representation but have an active Cash Assistance case can get screened for FHEPS after they apply for Cash/Emergency Assistance on ACCESS HRA or at an open HRA Job Center. Additionally, HRA is implementing a signature waiver for FHEPS application. The signature waiver allows HRA staff to complete applications over the phone and sign on behalf of clients.
Eviction Moratoriums
SUMMARY
In March 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, warrants of evictions were suspended by the Chief Administrative Judge of the NYS Unified Court System for residential tenants in New York State. Since then, additional federal, gubernatorial, and judicial orders have been put in place, some of which have already expired or have been invalidated by the courts.
While these protections may have prevented some evictions, all tenants are responsible for rent; there have been no rent suspensions, rent cancellations, rent forgiveness, or rent freezes.
NYC tenants without legal representation who receive notices for the court should call 311 and ask to be connected to the Tenant Helpline, where they may be able to access free legal representation.
If you are a Benefits Plus Online subscriber, for additional information on the various housing programs, refer to
- Housing Programs and Services, Public Housing
- Housing Programs and Services, Section 8 Voucher Program
- Housing Programs and Services, Project Based Section 8
- Housing Programs and Services, Other HUD Subsidized Housing Programs
For Benefits Plus Online subscription information visit: https://bplc.cssny.org/home/subscription_options.
RESUMPTION OF HOUSING COURT CASES AND EVICTIONS IN NYC
Tenants who are being sued in housing court should consult with an attorney to determine if there are any eviction protections that will prevent an eviction, see below, Eviction Moratoriums, Protections Against Residential Evictions.
NYC tenants without legal representation who receive notices from the court should call 311 and/or Housing Court Answers at 212-962-4795, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. When calling 311, tenants should ask to be connected to the Tenant Helpline, where they may be able to access free legal representation. Housing Court Answers is a valuable resource for questions about answering court notices and the current housing court processes.
Tenants with legal representation should contact their attorneys.
For additional tenant resources, see below, Additional Resources, Tenant Resources.
NYS unified court system’s Administrative Orders and/or Memoranda
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chief Administrative Judge of the NYS Unified Court System has issued memos and administrative orders outlining how NYS Courts should proceed with housing court cases and evictions according to state and federal laws and regulations.
An administrative order issued on January 16, 2022 by Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks outlines how housing court cases and evictions should proceed as a result of the expiration of the protections in the NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA). (To learn more about CEEFPA, see below, Eviction Moratoriums: Under COVID-19, Protections Against Residential Evictions, NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act.)
The following directives are in effect in NYS courts:
- All residential cases (nonpayment and holdovers) can proceed their normal housing court course.
- That is, a hardship declaration form no longer pauses the case.
- If an eviction was authorized by the courts between March 16, 2020 – September 2, 2021 but was not performed, the case must be brought back to court and the tenant must be notified.
- This will ensure that all laws and procedures were followed at the time the eviction was authorized.
- Additionally, the courts will determine if there any eviction protections that can pause the case. To learn about which eviction protections may be available, see below, Eviction Moratoriums: Under COVID-19, Protections Against Residential Evictions.
- NYS courts cannot issue default judgments allowing a tenant eviction without the landlord submitting a motion to the court and the tenant will be notified. (A default judgment is a judge’s order that determines a tenant can be evicted because the tenant failed to answer a petition or missed their court date.)
- That is, a case must come before a judge, who will look at the circumstances of the case and will determine if a default judgment can be granted.
In NYC, when a tenant shows up to their court case and they do not have legal representation, before the case can move forward, the case should be put on the court’s calendar to be assigned an attorney. Once an attorney has been assigned to the tenant, the case will be scheduled on a judge’s calendar.
PROTECTIONS AGAINST RESIDENTIAL EVICTIONS
Introduction
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many moratoriums and protections were enacted at various levels of government. Most have expired or have been invalidated by the courts.
1. The moratoriums and protections against residential evictions are subject to judicial interpretation in landlord-tenant housing court cases. If the protections have been raised as defenses, each housing court judge will determine on a case-by-case basis if a tenant should not be evicted.
2. While these protections may prevent tenant evictions, tenants continue to be responsible for rent. There are no rent suspensions, rent cancellations, rent forgiveness, or rent freezes. For more information, see below, Rent Relief.
Tenants who are being sued in housing court should consult with an attorney to determine if any of the following protections will prevent an eviction. Furthermore, to prevent evictions, tenants must assert the following protections as defenses in their court cases, which may be difficult without legal representation in housing court.
NYC tenants without legal representation who receive notices from the court should call 311 and/or Housing Court Answers at 212-962-4795, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. When calling 311, tenants should ask to be connected to the Tenant Helpline, where they may be able to access free legal representation. Housing Court Answers is a valuable resource for questions about answering court notices and the current housing court processes.
Tenants with legal representation should contact their attorneys.
For additional tenant resources, see below Additional Resources, Tenant Resources.
NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act
As of September 2, 2021, the NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act provides eviction protection only to tenants who are taken to court for rent owed during the “COVID-19 covered period,” defined as March 7, 2020 – January 15, 2022, and who experienced a financial hardship.
The NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act (the Act) protects NYS residential tenants who have experienced a financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic from eviction due to nonpayment of rent. When originally established, the Act was to cover unpaid rent that accrued between March 7th and until all COVID-related restrictions on nonessential gatherings and businesses were lifted in the tenant’s county. However, on September 2, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul extended the covered period of the Act to January 15, 2022, or the end of the NYS eviction moratorium under NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA). (To learn more about CEEFPA, see below, Eviction Moratoriums: Under COVID-19, Protections Against Residential Evictions, NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act.)
As a result, tenants may be able to use their COVID financial hardship as a defense against eviction if they are taken to court for rent that is owed for any period between March 7, 2020 – January 15, 2022.
Under the Act, a housing court judge cannot authorize an eviction due to nonpayment of rent for tenants who have not been able to pay rent because of COVID-19. However, a judge can award money judgments against tenants to landlords. (A money judgement gives the landlord the right to collect rent arrears from the tenant.)
For the Tenant Safe Harbor Act text, click here.
NYS COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA) & September 2021 NYS Eviction moratorium Legislation
The eviction protections afforded under CEEFPA are no longer available. This NYS eviction moratorium expired January 15, 2022.
Tenants were protected from evictions in both nonpayment and holdover cases until January 15, 2022, if they submitted a hardship declaration to their landlord or in court (if a case was pending). To access the hardship declaration form in English and other languages, visit https://www.nycourts.gov/eefpa/.
Housing Discrimination
SUMMARY
Fair housing and human rights laws across federal, state and city governments protect tenants from harassment and discrimination on the basis of having or perception of having COVID-19.
Tenants who believe they have been harassed or discriminated against because of COVID-19 can contact several agencies across different levels of government to file complaints.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD)
The U.S. Fair Housing Act and other federal laws prohibit the eviction, landlord harassment, or turning a person away from housing because it is assumed they have been exposed to COVID-19 based on race, national origin or other protected class. To view HUD’s statement on Fair Housing and COVID-19, click here.
Persons who believe they have experienced housing discrimination may file a complaint of discrimination by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 or visiting How to File a Complaint on HUD’s website.
NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (DHR)
The NYS Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination against individuals who are assumed to have been exposed to COVID-19 based on race, national origin, and disability. This protection covers housing, employment, education, and places of public accommodation. For more information on discrimination relating to COVID-19 under the NYS Human Rights Law, visit https://dhr.ny.gov/coronavirus-discrimination.
If a person believes s/he has been discriminated against or has questions about the Human Rights Law, s/he call 1-888-392-3644.
NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (OAG)
OAG has indicated that landlords cannot discriminate against or evict a tenant because the tenant or someone that lives with the tenant has contracted or had COVID-19 or the landlord thinks that the tenant has or had COVID-19. For more information on the OAG’s guidance for NYS tenants, click here.
If tenants have questions or believe they have been a victim of harassment or discrimination of this kind, contact the OAG Civil Rights Bureau by emailing civil.rights@ag.ny.gov or calling 800-771-7755.
NEW YORK CITY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (CCHR)
CCHR considers actual or perceived infection with COVID-19 to be protected as a disability under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). Housing providers must not harass or discriminate against residents, evict them, or ask them to leave their apartment because of fears or stigma around COVID-19. It is also illegal for a housing provider to harass or discriminate against a resident based on the presumption that they have contracted or are more likely to contract COVID-19 due to actual or perceived race, national origin, disability, or another protected status.
For more information, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cchr/media/covid19.page.
If an individual is facing harassment or discrimination from his/her landlord, s/he should contact CCHR by filling the online form or by calling (212) 416-0197.
NYC Housing Court
SUMMARY
NYC Housing Court is accepting filings of court cases. Court appearances may be in person or remote.
If you are a Benefits Plus Online subscriber, for additional information on NYC’s Housing Court system, refer to
For subscription information visit: https://bplc.cssny.org/home/subscription_options.
RESUMPTION OF IN-PERSON COURT OPERATIONS
NYC housing court is accepting filings of new cases (proceedings).
Tenants who receive nonpayment petitions have the ordinary legal period of ten days to file an answer.
Court appearances may be in person or remote.
In pending NYC eviction cases where a tenant is not currently represented by an attorney, NYC housing court will schedule the case so that an attorney is appointed to the tenant.
NYCHA
SUMMARY
NYCHA is NYC’s public housing program for low-income tenants where rent is typically 30% of household income. NYCHA residents who have experienced loss of income can apply for NYCHA’s rent hardship program or the zero-income policy.
If you are a Benefits Plus Online subscriber, for additional information on NYC’s public housing program New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), refer to Benefits Plus Online, Housing Programs and Services, Public Housing_. For subscription information visit: https://bplc.cssny.org/home/subscription_options.
RENT HARDSHIP PROGRAM AND ZERO INCOME POLICY
Households experiencing loss of income may qualify for the rent hardship program for a rent reduction or the Zero Income Policy, where rent will be zero.
Rent will be adjusted for the month following the submission of the application. NYCHA will accept partial rent payments until the application is processed.
For more information, click here or view NYCHA’s Rent Hardship Flyer.
Rent Hardship Program
Households may qualify for the rent hardship program when:
- There is at least a 5% reduction to gross income
- Current rent is more than 30% of household income
The standard waiting period that would normally be required to request an Interim Recertification has been suspended. Residents can apply for the rent hardship program immediately.
Zero Income Policy
Households may qualify for the Zero Income Policy when there is no income in the household.
Applying for the Rent Hardship Program or the Zero Income Policy
Residents can request a rent reduction or zero rent by:
- Completing an Interim Recertification via NYCHA Self Service Portal at https://selfserve.nycha.info; or,
- For step by step instructions on how to complete an Interim Recertification on the Self Service Portal, click here.
- Contacting their Property Management Office for a paper application; or,
- For a listing of all NYCHA Property Management Offices and their phone numbers, click here.
- Calling the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 and selecting option 5.
Until further notice, NYCHA residents may self-certify their income loss. Supporting documents are not required at this time.
RENEWALS OF NYCHA PRELIMINARY WAITLIST APPLICATIONS
Typically, prospective NYCHA tenants must submit an online application at https://apply.nycha.info/ and once submitted, the NYCHA application is in effect for two years. The applicant must ‘renew’ the application at least 30 days before the expiration date to maintain his/her place on the preliminary waiting list. NYCHA typically sends applicants a reminder email that the expiration of the application is approaching, and the renewal requirements.
However, NYCHA has been automatically renewing applications that were set to expire without need for any action by the applicant. NYCHA will auto-renew applications with until December 31, 2021, or until the NYCHA’s Customer Contact Centers walk-in centers in the Bronx and Brooklyn reopen, whichever happens first. Additionally, NYCHA reinstated all applications that may have been terminated for nonrenewal since March 2020 and restored their original application dates.
NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
SUMMARY
Throughout the pandemic, tenants have remained responsible for rent and rent increases can still occur. There are no rent suspensions, rent cancellations, rent forgiveness, or rent freezes.
New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) opened its application on June 1, 2021 and will remain open until January 20, 2023 at 9:00pm (EST). Low-income renter households in NYS may be eligible to receive up to 12 months of rental and utility arrears and an additional 3 months of rental assistance under ERAP.
DESCRIPTION OF ERAP
Introduction
New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides eligible NYS renters with up to 12 months of rental arrears assistance, up to three months of prospective rental assistance, and up to 12 months of utility arrears assistance if eligible for rental arrears assistance.
When a household is found eligible, ERAP will provide payments directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the household.
Funding for ERAP comes from the federal government via the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and the American Rescue Plan Act. In New York State, it is administered by the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and seven state localities that opted to administer rental assistance to their residents directly. NYC residents will apply for ERAP through OTDA.
Rental and Utility Arrears Assistance
The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides up to 12 months of rental and utility (gas and/or electric) arrears payments to income-eligible households that have experienced financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are at risk of homelessness or housing instability.
Under ERAP, households are not eligible for utility arrears only. That is, a household must be determined eligible for rental arrears assistance in order for ERAP to provide utility arrears assistance.
Prospective Rental Assistance
If a household is found eligible for rental arrears payments and is expected to spend 30% or more of their gross monthly income toward rent, they may also be awarded 3 months of prospective rental assistance under ERAP.
A household with a gross monthly income of $2,400 and a monthly rent of $1,200 is found eligible for ERAP. ERAP will cover 12 months of rental arrears for the period between April 2020 and March 2021.
Also, this household is paying 50% of their monthly income toward rent. Because this household is expected to spend more than 30% of their income toward rent, ERAP may award an additional 3 months of rental assistance to the household, for the months of April 2021 – June 2021.
Tenant Protections
In addition to financial assistance, ERAP offers the following tenant protections:
- Once an application is submitted, renters remain protected from eviction and their housing court case is paused while the household awaits an eligibility determination from the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
- If a household is determined eligible and the landlord accepts payment:
- The tenant’s rental obligations are paid in full for the period covered by the ERAP payment;
- Late fees due on any rental arrears covered by the ERAP payment are waived;
- There will be no increase in the monthly rent for the months for which rental assistance is received and for one year from receipt of the ERAP payment; and
- For one year from receipt of the ERAP payment, the household cannot be evicted because rent was not paid during the COVID-19 pandemic or because the lease expired (holdover).
- However, the holdover tenant protection does not apply if the property has four or fewer units and the property owner or owner’s immediate family intend to immediately occupy the unit for use as a primary residence.
- If a tenant is determined eligible for ERAP and the landlord does not cooperate to accept ERAP payment:
- The tenant is still protected from eviction for one year from date of ERAP approval; and,
- The rental arrears debt for the period covered by ERAP are absolved.
QUALIFYING FOR ERAP
To qualify for ERAP, applicants must be a renter in New York State and meet all of the following criteria:
- Have primary residence in NYS; and
- Have a household gross income that is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income; and
- A household can use their current monthly income or their 2020 calendar year’s income to meet this criterion.
- Have an obligation to pay rent and have rental arrears for March 13, 2020, or after; and
- Are at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability. (This criterion can be met by having rental arrears, as indicated immediately above.); and
- Have a member in the household who, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and beginning on or after March 13, 2020, meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Received unemployment benefits; or
- Experienced a reduction in income; or
- Incurred significant costs; or
- Experienced some other financial hardship.
- For examples of financial hardship, click here.
There are no immigration criteria.
Households that reside in housing where rent is limited to a portion of their income (usually 30% of income), such as NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority/public housing) and Section 8, can apply to ERAP. However, OTDA will assess those applications for eligibility after all other applications have been processed.
NYCHA and Section 8 households should contact the appropriate administrative agency and request a rent redetermination if they have experienced a change in income. For more information, refer to
Ineligible Households
- Households with mortgage arrears are not eligible for ERAP.
In NYC, households that are not eligible for assistance under ERAP may apply for a “one-shot deal,” or emergency assistance grant, through the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA). Refer to COVID-19 Resources, Overview of COVID-19 Impact, Cash Benefits: Changes Under COVID-19.
APPLYING FOR ERAP
NYS ERAP applications will not be accepted after January 20, 2023, at 9:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Individuals will not be able to submit applications, or complete applications that have been started but not submitted, after January 20, 2023, at 9:00 pm.
Applications submitted before the application portal closes on January 20, 2023 will continue to be processed in the order received, consistent with State law and program rules.
Applications are accepted online only at https://nysrenthelp.otda.ny.gov/en/.
Because both tenant and landlord/property owner must provide information in the ERAP application, either party may start an ERAP application. However, only the tenant can sign and submit the application to OTDA. Furthermore, a landlord/property owner cannot complete an entire application on behalf of a tenant.
Once an application has been started by either party (the tenant or landlord/property owner), OTDA will notify the other party that an application has been started and ask that they provide their required information and documentation.
In NYC, the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) has partnered with community-based organizations that can help households apply for ERAP. Click here for a listing of organizations across the five boroughs.
For community-based organizations outside of NYC, click here.
If a landlord is difficult to locate or does not otherwise provide information needed to complete the application and a household has been found eligible for ERAP, funds will be held for up to 180 days, while OTDA attempts to locate the landlord and collect required information.
When a household has been found eligible, they will receive written notification of the available rental assistance and should share this with their landlord so that the landlord may feel compelled to complete their portion of the ERAP application. Additionally, tenants may be able to use the written notification in court as a defense in any case brought by the landlord for the nonpayment of rent that accrued during the time period covered by the available ERAP payment.
Reasonable Accommodation
Individuals with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to apply for ERAP. For examples of available reasonable accommodations, click here.
To request a reasonable accommodation, individuals can contact the ERAP call center at 1-844-NY1-RENT (1-844-691-7368). For the hearing impaired, a TTY phone number is available by calling 1-833-843-8829.
DOCUMENTATION
Tenants and landlords/property owners will have to upload documents as part of the ERAP application.
Tenant Documentation
Tenants will need to submit:
- Proof of identification.
- Social security number (if any).
- Proof of rental amount.
- Proof of residency and occupancy.
- Proof of income.
- Proof of gas and/or electric utility bill.
- Self-attestation of financial hardship.
For OTDA’s Tenant Document Checklist, click here.
Landlord/Property Owner Documentation
Landlords/property owners will need to submit:
- Completed W-9 tax form.
- Executed lease with the tenant applicant, or if there is no written lease, a cancelled check, evidence of funds transfer or other documentation of the last full monthly rent payment.
- Documentation of rent due from tenant or attestation on application.
- Banking information to receive direct deposit payment.
For OTDA’s Landlord/Property Owner Document Checklist, click here
If an application is incomplete or is missing documentation, the applicants will be notified that they should provide the missing information or documentation.
NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE/DENIAL
OTDA expects to process completed applications within 4-6 weeks from submission date. Applicants will receive alerts on the status of his/her ERAP application via the applicant’s preferred contact method.
All applicants will receive a written eligibility determination notice.
APPEALS
OTDA will provide information on their review process in the applicant’s eligibility determination notice.
Contact
Tenants and landlords/property owners can contact NYS OTDA’s ERAP call center at 844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368), 7 days/week from 8am – 7pm.
For the hearing impaired, the TTY phone number is 1-833-843-8829.
ERAP also has an online messaging system (Webchat), which can be accessed here.
For additional information on OTDA’s ERAP, visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/emergency-rental-assistance/.