Outline
- Categories of Households qualified for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program(ERAP)
- What are the eligibility requirements for NY ERAP
- Vital things you should know(your right)
- Benefits Households approved for ERAP may receive
Categories of Households qualified for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program(ERAP)
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) in New York assists qualified families that are struggling in their rental because of financial difficulty brought about by COVID-19 and have been confronted with homelessness and housing instability. Along with the needed documents to apply, the applicant must also provide a signed attestation to certify that they have provided correct and accurate details in the application form.
What are the eligibility requirements for NY ERAP
- Proof of residency and occupancy: Rent receipt, signed lease, utility bill, school records, bank statement, postal mail with the name of the applicant, insurance bill, or driver’s license. All of these must be at your present address or residence.
- Applicants must have lost income during any period between April 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020.
- Proof of household previous month’s income; eg pay stub, unemployment benefits letter, bank account deposit verification or any other document that can stand as proof.
- Documents proving that before March 1, 2020, and at the time of application, the household must have been a rent burden of more than 30 percent of total monthly income to pay rent
Vital things you should know(your right)
- ERAP support is available to anybody regardless of immigration status, and it is not required to be repaid.
- For the months that ERAP pays (rent is due on or after March 13, 2020), your landlord is not allowed to impose any costs, not even late fines.
- After the ERAP payment, your landlord is prohibited from raising your rent for an entire year.
- After receiving the ERAP payment, your landlord cannot evict you for a year unless you default on your rent again or break the terms of your lease.
- The landlord cannot evict you during the year following the ERAP payment simply because you don’t have a lease or because it has expired.
- Exception; If your apartment is one of only four rental units in your building AND the owner or a member of their close family wants to reside there. Additionally, the landlord may attempt to evict you for breaching your agreement or causing a nuisance.
- If your landlord refuses the ERAP payment, they will never be able to sue you or attempt to evict you for failing to pay that money. Your record will be clear.
- Moving expenses, security deposits, future rent, utilities, and a hotel or motel stay during the transfer are all covered by ERAP.
Benefits Households approved for ERAP may receive
- Up to 12 months of rentals arrears payments owned on or after March 13, 2020
- Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance in the case where they will spend more than 30 percent or more of overall monthly income on rent
- Up to 12 months of electricity or gas bills arrears payment owned on or after March 13, 2020
Note: Payment is made directly to the landlord or property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant but the tenant will be notified once the payment is released. Priority is given to households with greater economic and social needs.
References to write application procedure:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SLmuPkfkpU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XElk_K-h6U
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpU1oPdf3_k
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OimlNtndyqU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXBUcY-_oec