New York

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs
 

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

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Lockport CARES, a faith-based agency with 19 beds, has stopped admitting new clients.

Advocates report that an all-volunteer shelter in Buffalo with 29 beds closed in late March since volunteers are mostly older and couldn't risk being exposed to the virus. Advocates also report other shelters are limiting the number people and reducing hours.

Bethany House in Rochester, a women’s shelter, is closing on Wednesday, March 25.

The New York Times reports that since New York’s eviction moratorium expired in mid-January, tenants have been forced from their homes in more than 500 cases. Legal Services NYC and the Legal Aid Society have called on the court to slow the speed of eviction cases moving through the system, but housing courts have rejected the request.

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued an advisory to landlords on April 18 reminding them that they cannot raise rents if they accepted or plan to accept funding from the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which was recently expanded in the state’s budget. Landlords who accept payments from the program are prohibited from raising rents for a year after they receive the funds. Attorney General James said she is prepared to take action to protect tenants if landlords fail to abide by ERAP’s rules.

The NY Daily News reports state lawmakers on April 22 urged New York’s Chief Judge Janet DiFiore to avert “an impending eviction and homelessness crisis” by ordering housing courts to slow operations until all low-income tenants have lawyers. According to 32 state lawmakers, Judge DiFiore’s refusal to slow the speed at which judges are processing a backlog of 220,000 eviction lawsuits and counting undermines city law and is actively influencing outcomes. Moreover, this figure does not include more than 30,000 primarily Black and Hispanic NYCHA households also behind on rent.

The Legal Aid Society announced on April 18 that hundreds of New Yorkers facing eviction may have to represent themselves in court due to a backlog of eviction cases leading to a shortage of legal aid attorneys. After the eviction moratorium was lifted in January, eviction filings have been on the rise across the state.

Three months after New York’s eviction moratorium ended, legal aid groups say they are unable to keep up with the overwhelming demand of tenants in need of legal representation. The Legal Aid Society and the New York Legal Assistance Group said that attorneys will be unable to take new cases in Queens in April, and they are urging the Office of Court Administration to slow the scheduling of housing court cases to make sure those at risk of eviction can access an attorney.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on April 9 detailed the uses of $2 billion in reserve pandemic recovery funding in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 State Budget. The budget includes $800 million in state funds for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, $250 million for utility assistance, and $125 million for the Landlord Rental Assistance Program.

Updated on May 23, 2022

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Governor Kathy Hochul announced on January 11 that New York will allow its eviction and foreclosure moratorium to expire on January 15, but the state will once again let people apply for eviction protection and rent relief. Dozens of faith leaders called on Governor Hochul to extend New York’s eviction moratorium through June.

Law 360 reports State Judge Lynn Kotler ordered the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to reopen the application portal for the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which stopped considering most new applications in mid-November as funds dwindled. Judge Kotler noted that ERAP applicants receive an automatic eviction stay while their paperwork is being processed. Tenants should “at least… have the benefit of being able to apply for ERA now and obtain their rightful place on a de facto waitlist,” wrote Judge Kotler in the three-page preliminary injunction order.

Updated on January 31, 2022

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The New York Times reports that inside one Brooklyn homeless shelter, 11 women who tested positive for COVID-19 were crowded into a small room with just a few chairs and several mattresses on the floor. While there are hundreds of vacant beds in isolation units and quarantine rooms in hotels, the women were told none were available.

Housing advocates and tenants are bracing for a “deluge” of eviction cases when New York State’s eviction moratorium expires on January 15. Governor Kathy Hochul has not signaled that she will extend the eviction moratorium.

Updated on January 30, 2022

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The New York Times reports the Legal Aid Society filed a lawsuit on December 13 to force the state to reopen its emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. New York landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants while an ERA application is pending. The lawsuit argues that New York’s recent decision to stop accepting applications eliminated this key protection for struggling tenants, leaving thousands of renters at risk of eviction.

A lawsuit to overturn New York’s eviction moratorium will forge ahead. U.S. District Judge Gary Brown has already declined two attempts to block the temporary moratorium, most recently for a “lack of standing.” His latest order issued on December 1 denied the state’s request to dismiss the suit.

Updated on December 20, 2021

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Spectrum News reports the Community Housing Improvement Program, an organization that represents 4,000 housing operators in New York, says Governor Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers should allocate at least $2 billion for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help the thousands of renters who remain behind on rent. The push for additional assistance comes after a survey found at least 100,000 tenants have significant rental arrears and have not received any assistance.

Updated on December 13, 2021

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New York state’s eviction moratorium, which expires January 15, 2022, allows landlords to challenge a tenant’s hardship declaration by submitting a sworn statement claiming the tenant has not lost income during the pandemic. Tenant advocates with the Legal Aid Society say judges have begun scheduling eviction hearings, even if landlords have insufficient evidence to support their claim about their tenants’ financial status.  

Updated on November 22, 2021

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As New York’s latest eviction protections near a January end date, City Limits reports New York City tenants’ rights advocates are reigniting their push for “Good Cause” eviction protections. The bill would provide tenants the right to a lease renewal in most cases and prevent landlords from removing a tenant without an order from a judge – even if that tenant’s lease has expired or they never had a lease. 

Updated on November 03, 2021

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Bloomberg reports New York’s biggest landlord group sued to block a law extending the state’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium. The law, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on September 2, extends the statewide eviction moratorium through January 15, 2022. The landlords are seeking a preliminary injunction to suspend the moratorium while the case proceeds.

Updated on October 25, 2021

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Governor Kathy Hochul announced on September 14 significant progress in providing emergency rental assistance. The press release states that, according to NLIHC’s database, New York is now ranked first nationally in payments made or obligated, and is among the leaders in direct payments.

The Rent Stabilization Association asked a federal court to strike down Governor Hochul’s statewide eviction moratorium. The association represents 25,000 landlords in New York City, who are unsatisfied with the carve-out made to allow landlords to challenge tenant filings. The NY Daily News reports that since August 29, there are 225,000 active eviction cases. 

Updated on September 21, 2021

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Governor Kathy Hochul on September 2 signed new legislation extending the moratorium on COVID-related evictions until January 15, 2022. The law expands the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and creates the nation’s strongest eviction protections. Learn more about New York’s eviction moratorium here.

Updated on September 14, 2021

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The United States Supreme Court on August 12 blocked a core part of New York’s statewide eviction moratorium. The part in question prevented eviction cases from proceeding if a tenant submitted a declaration form stating they had experienced economic hardship because of the pandemic. The New York Times breaks down what the Supreme Court’s ruling means for New Yorkers. 

The New York congressional delegation sent a letter to the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) expressing dire concern over the department’s continued lack of emergency rental assistance (ERA) distribution. The members of Congress urge OTDA to address roadblocks in the program and adopt best practices to ensure ERA is distributed as effectively and efficiently as possible. 
Updated on August 30, 2021

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The New York Times reports New York City resumed the process of moving thousands of people experiencing homelessness from hotel rooms back to congregate shelters July 26. The city’s actions come amid growing concerns that coronavirus cases quadrupled citywide and over objections from advocates for people experiencing homelessness. The city resumed the transfers on the same day Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered city workers to get vaccinated or tested weekly because the “Delta variant is deadly.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on July 26 a new “streamlined” application process for New York’s rent relief program, which will relax documentation requirements for tenants and landlords. Governor Cuomo’s announcement comes as New York has faced bipartisan criticism for the lack of rental assistance it has distributed.
Updated on August 3, 2021

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The New York Times reports that the city’s plan to move 8,000 people who have been staying in hotels during the pandemic back to congregate shelters was disrupted on July 13 when a federal judge ruled that officials were not adequately considering the health of those being moved. The ruling comes after the Legal Aid Society filed a motion accusing the city of violating the rights of people with disabilities.

The city aimed to move approximately 8,000 people to barracks-style congregate shelters by the end of July, where state rules allow beds to be placed just three feet apart. A city spokesman said officials would make “minor adjustments” to the process and resume moving individuals next week.

NLIHC sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on July 1 urging FEMA to release guidance immediately on FEMA reimbursement for non-congregate shelter and to extend the 100% reimbursement policy through June 2022. The letter states that while some cities have begun to end non-congregate sheltering programs, COVID-19 continues to pose a grave danger to individuals residing in congregate living environments, including people experiencing homelessness and people with disabilities. NLIHC’s letter echoes previous requests by California Governor Gavin Newsom, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, El Centro Mayor Cheryl Viegas-Walker, and Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, who sent a similar letter to FEMA last month.
Updated on July 22, 2021

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With New York’s eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of August, housing advocates and legal aid attorneys in the Southern Tier are preparing as many defenses as possible.
Updated on July 15, 2021

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As New York City moves to end its emergency hotel program, some hotel residents are decrying the city’s decision to force them back into the congregate shelter system. The city has moved approximately 10,000 individuals from shelters and into hotel rooms during the pandemic. Homeless advocates say that evicting the hotel residents too quickly will only increase homelessness. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel tweeted that FEMA is providing 100% reimbursement for eligible non-congregate sheltering costs through September. Additionally, HUD recently allocated $5 billion in emergency housing vouchers for people who are homeless.

June 22, 2021

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WYNC reports that New York City is preparing to move New Yorkers experiencing homelessness who are currently living in hotels back into congregate shelters. A letter from the city says individuals will be moving back into congregate shelters soon but did not provide a specific timeline. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel noted on Twitter that FEMA provides 100% reimbursement for eligible non-congregate sheltering costs through September. Additionally, HUD recently allocated $5 billion in emergency housing vouchers for people who are homeless.
BK Reader reports the New York City Council passed legislation that will significantly increase the ability of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness to find housing through CityFHEPS, the city’s rental voucher program. 
June 14, 2021

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Dozens of community members, local leaders, and housing and homeless advocates are urging Governor Andrew Cuomo immediately to use $100 million allocated for the conversion of distressed hotels and motels into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The advocates are also urging legislators to pass the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act, which establishes the plan for New York to buy distressed hotels and convert them into permanent and safe housing.
June 4, 2021

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New York lawmakers are considering legislation that would extend eviction protections through August 31, 2021. In addition to tenant protections, the bill would extend mortgage and tax foreclosure prevention for homeowners and small landlords. Housing advocates have raised concerns that the current moratorium would expire before the state launches its more than $2 billion emergency rental assistance program. Spectrum News reports that tenant advocates rallied in Foley Square on April 26, calling on elected officials to extend the statewide eviction moratorium and speed up the creation of the rental assistance application process.

May 3, 2021

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With New York’s eviction moratorium set to expire on May 1, local leaders in Rochester are taking steps to protect renters at risk of losing their homes through the Rochester and Monroe County Eviction Prevention Pilot Initiative. About 25% of renters in Rochester were behind on their March rent.

April 28, 2021

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The New York Times reports that an analysis of court data shows that New York City renters in COVID hot spots are four times more likely to face eviction. The areas hit hardest by the coronavirus, largely Black and Latino neighborhoods, have seen the most eviction cases.

The Gothamist reports that despite efforts to make rental assistance more accessible to applicants, the second round of New York’s rent relief program has reached fewer people than the first. Nearly eight weeks after the February 1 deadline, New York had distributed just $7 million out of $60 million available for struggling tenants.

March 31, 2021

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New York’s eviction moratorium pause ends on Friday, February 26. After February 26, pending eviction cases can move forward again in court and new cases can be filed – unless a tenant submits a hardship declaration form to the court or their landlord. The moratorium is extended until May 1 only for tenants who filled out the hardship declaration. Tenants can use the Eviction Free NY tool (also available in Spanish) to fill out and submit the declaration online.

March 01, 2021

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A coalition of New York City housing and homeless advocates, joined by the city’s top real estate group, is calling on the city and state to expand and improve three rental assistance programs to help struggling households at risk for eviction.

PUSH Buffalo, a member of the Housing Justice for All coalition, is going door-to-door to educate renters on the tenant hardship declaration that must be filed by February 25 to be protected from eviction.

February 08, 2021

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The New York City Eviction Prevention Roundtable released a report outlining policy recommendations to keep New York tenants housed during and after the immediate crisis of COVID-19 and address the viability of building owners. The recommendations seek to streamline and expand eligibility for existing housing assistance programs and address growing economic needs.

February 01, 2021

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Thirty-one New York senators asked the state Office of Court Administration to issue additional guidance on the eviction moratorium for local courts to ensure that the moratorium and its protections are applied uniformly across the state. Lawmakers have received multiple reports of judges disregarding the law and regulations.

January 25, 2021

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The New York Legislature on December 28 passed one of the most comprehensive eviction moratoriums in the nation. The law places a moratorium on evictions until May 1 for tenants who endured a “COVID-related hardship.”

The New York Times discusses the looming eviction crisis that threatens to overwhelm schools, homeless shelters, and food pantries.

Multiple sources say that while the New York State Senate has proposed a blanket eviction moratorium, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is pushing back against the proposal and advocating for a narrower measure.

January 15, 2021

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The Wall Street Journal reports that New York City advocates continue to urge city officials to place individuals experiencing homelessness in single-occupancy hotel rooms to prevent the spread of the coronavirus throughout the shelter system. 

New York City marshals have begun executing the first legal residential evictions since the pandemic shuttered courts across the state in March. 

December 9, 2020

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A historic Midtown hotel will be converted into a permanent shelter for families experiencing homelessness next month. The former Renwick Hotel will become an adult family shelter serving 170 families experiencing homelessness without minor children. 

Judge Debra James upheld a temporary restraining order preventing New York City from moving men experiencing homelessness who have been residing at the Lucerne to a different hotel. The judge will rule on Monday whether the men can continue to stay at the hotel. “If the court allows the forcible eviction of the men of the Lucerne to another area, what it would be saying is wealthy and well connected people can hire a politically-connected lawyer and forcibly evict people from their home because they don't have money," said Michael Hiller, an attorney opposing the city’s relocation plan.

The New York Times reports on the benefits experienced by the men who have been residing at the Lucerne Hotel, a hotel-turned-shelter, during the pandemic. A Manhattan Supreme Court justice on November 16 will decide whether the men residing at the Lucerne Hotel in the Upper West Side will be allowed to stay or must be moved to a Radisson Hotel in the Financial District.

An op-ed in the New York Daily News written by two state representatives outlines why the New York Legislature must enact real rent relief. The proposed legislation includes establishing an inclusive rental assistance program and enacting an eviction and foreclosure moratorium for the duration of the pandemic and one year after.

November 30, 2020

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The Legal Aid Society released a statement calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to extend an executive order pausing default judgments, which expires Wednesday, November 4. As many as 14,800 households in New York City are at risk of losing their homes, simply because they followed the court’s instructions to refrain from answering their petitions.  

November 10, 2020

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The Legal Aid Society and the law firm Jenner & Block filed a lawsuit against New York City on October 22 for failing to provide single occupancy rooms to individuals experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. The lawsuit also charges the city for violating the “Americans with Disabilities Act” by failing to provide reasonable accommodations to all qualifying individuals who request a single room due to their medical condition. 

November 4, 2020

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Judge Debra James issued a temporary restraining order, preventing New York City from forcing more than 200 men experiencing homelessness from the Lucerne Hotel. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the move after Upper West Side NIMBYs threatened to sue the city over its decision to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness at a local hotel during the pandemic.

Advocates with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley are concerned about a surge of evictions when the federal moratorium expires at the end of the year. Since the eviction moratoriums were enacted, the organization has seen instances where landlords have sent threatening letters, turned off essential services, refused to address hazardous living conditions, and employed other illegal tactics to force tenants out of their homes.

October 26, 2020

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Legal Services Corporation reports New Yorkers are still being evicted despite the statewide and federal eviction moratoriums.

Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks, in a memo released on October 9, said evictions – including those for non-payment of rent – may resume in New York on October 12, but with “important caveats.”

October 19, 2020

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Thousands of New York City residents are at risk of losing their homes amid fears of a second wave of COVID-19. There are roughly 14,000 outstanding evictions in New York City, and 1,500 landlords have filed a motion to evict tenants.

A new safety report finds New York City courts pose severe coronavirus risks to the workers and the public.

October 14, 2020

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The Legal Aid Society released a statement on September 26 ahead of a vigil in support of New Yorkers residing at the Lucerne Hotel. “As we have said since day one, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s capitulation to a small group of vocal NIMBYists with a racist agenda is unconscionable and inexcusable,” the statement reads. “The troubling message the City sends these New Yorkers by making this regrettable decision is clear: you cannot live here, and the voices of the people who complained are worth more to us than your well-being.”

The Legal Aid Society condemned an executive order signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo extending protections to a subset of residential tenants who were facing evictions before the pandemic shut down courts. The executive order does not extend the blanket eviction. Rather, it expands eligibility for protection under the state’s Tenant Safe Harbor Act.

The Legal Aid Society urged Governor Cuomo to extend the residential eviction moratorium, which expired on October 1, to cover all tenants, regardless of circumstance, and extend well beyond the end of the pandemic.

October 5, 2020

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Housing advocates in New York City report some building owners are trying to illegally evade the federal and state eviction moratoriums. “We’ve seen a big uptick in illegal lockout proceedings as landlords are becoming frustrated with the continued eviction moratorium,” said Emily Eaton, an attorney with Legal Aid.

New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie responded to advocates urging him and other state officials to extend the state’s eviction moratorium to “stop worrying about the evictions” without providing any information to support his assertion that there will not be mass evictions when the moratorium expires October 1. 

“Between the 200,000 pending housing court cases and the 14,000 households with an active eviction warrant, allowing the moratorium to expire and these cases to proceed would be nothing short of catastrophic,” said Judith Goldiner, the head of the Legal Aid Society’s Civil Reform Unit.

September 29, 2020

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The NYU News editorial board writes that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to evict residents who are homeless from a local hotel after Upper West Side NIMBYs threatened to sue the city endangers public health and demonstrates the city’s hostility toward people experiencing homelessness.

New York Daily News reports the city’s Department of Homeless Services sent a letter to residents at the Harmonia shelter, a Manhattan homeless shelter for those with special needs, a week after many of them were ordered to leave the facility they have called home for years. The letter did not provide information on the residents’ futures. “We appreciate that the city has finally begun to communicate directly with our clients,” said Josh Goldfein of the Legal Aid Society. “The distressing uncertainty they are currently experiencing will not be resolved until the mayor renounces his rushed shelter shuffle plan and offers a real route to permanent housing.”

Dozens of people gathered outside the Lucerne hotel and marched to Carl Shurz Park to protest Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to displace the families at the Harmonia shelter to make space for the 300 men temporarily residing at the Upper West Side hotel.

A nurse practitioner with the Center for Urban Community Services writes in an op-ed in City Limits that providing non-congregate shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness in hotels amid the pandemic is a life-saving practice.

September 22, 2020

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The Legal Aid Society announced on September 10 that it is preparing an Article 78 lawsuit against New York City over its plan to force New Yorkers living with disabilities and from the Harmonia homeless shelter in Manhattan to other facilities across the city that lack necessary services to meet their needs. The city’s plan to move residents from the Harmonia shelter, 80% of whom have disabilities, stems from the need to accommodate the men experiencing homelessness who were kicked out of the Lucerne Hotel. 

“We are deeply disturbed that the Mayor is caving to political pressure to move homeless New Yorkers out of temporary pandemic shelter in a way that will displace one hundred fifty adult families sheltered at the Harmonia, none of whom deserve to get caught up in this politicized process,” says State Senator Liz Krueger.  

Politico reports that Mayor Bill de Blasio denied he was caving to political pressure, insisting it was the “beginning of a larger effort to come back from those hotels.” 

“The community treats us like we are criminals, and the city has given in to their demands to move us out,” says an individual temporarily residing in an Upper West Side hotel during the pandemic. “Being homeless during a pandemic is hard enough – but being unwelcome, and looked down on, makes it even worse.” 

Advocates are concerned about what will happen to the 250 formerly incarcerated people who have been residing in New York City hotels during the pandemic if the city halts the program. The de Blasio administration is seeking reimbursement for the program from FEMA. The city has contracted with several social service nonprofits and the hotels until October 31, but the program faces neighborhood opposition and uncertain funding.

September 15, 2020

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Curbed NY reports that NIMBY groups have threatened to sue New York City to transfer the people experiencing homelessness temporarily residing in Upper West Side hotels if Mayor de Blasio’s administration did not provide a timeline to do so within 48 hours. While Mayor Bill de Blasio announced earlier this month that the city would start developing a plan to reduce the “reliance on hotels,” the Department of Homeless Services has not yet said it is safe to move the approximately 10,000 people currently residing in 139 hotels back into the shelter system. 

The Legal Aid Society says that if Mayor de Blasio decides to move people experiencing homelessness out of hotels, its lawyers would file a lawsuit. “The public health crisis is not over, and moving people experiencing homelessness back into overcrowded shelters could spark a second wave of COVID-19, putting lives at needless risk,” says Judith Goldiner, attorney-in-charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society. 

The Legal Aid Society found that approximately 14,000 New York City families were facing eviction before the pandemic began in March. The organization sent a letter to New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie urging the legislature to reconvene to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, set to expire October 1, indefinitely.  

Residents of Upper West Side hotels share about the positive impacts of moving from congregate shelters to isolated hotel rooms. Councilman Stephen Levin has called on the de Blasio administration to expand rental assistance and provide additional housing and homelessness resources to protect New Yorkers experiencing homelessness from the threat of COVID-19. 

September 10, 2020

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Tenants and housing advocates rallied outside Troy City Court on August 27 to protest against evictions. There were about 30 landlord-tenant proceedings on the Troy City Court scheduled for August 27. VOCAL-NY, a grassroots advocacy organization, says that despite New York’s eviction moratorium, property owners are using pre-COVID-19 paperwork to pursue evictions.

An op-ed penned by Dave Giffen and Giselle Routhier of the Coalition for the Homeless in the New York Daily News discusses the vocal NIMBY voices urging officials to prematurely move people residing in hotels to congregate settings. The authors urge New Yorkers to stop dehumanizing people experiencing homelessness and instead act with compassion and reason.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on August 17 declared that he is considering moving people temporarily residing in hotels during the pandemic back into homeless shelters. An article in Curbed argues that hotels are still the city’s best chance to prevent the looming homelessness crisis. The #HomelessCantStayHome Coalition sent a letter to city officials on August 12, urging them to stop moving New Yorkers experiencing homelessness back to congregate shelters, end harmful sweeps, and enact additional policies to protect the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness.

The president of the Housing Court Judges Association, a union representing 50 housing court judges in New York City, testified on August 21 at a state senate hearing, urging New York legislators to intervene to prevent a looming ‘nightmare’ situation in housing court. Judge Daniele Chinea asked legislators to help landlords and tenants with their growing debts, rather than force judges to exercise discretion when both parties are reporting extreme financial strain.

September 2, 2020

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Although New York’s eviction moratorium was extended until October 1, advocates say that the state courts and legislature should go further by pausing all eviction proceedings, including those filed before the pandemic’s start. “No one should have to fight to save their home during a pandemic,” said the Housing Justice for All and Right to Counsel NYC Coalitions in a joint statement. 

Curbed NY reports that 14,500 New Yorkers have pending eviction warrants and will be the first tenants evicted when the state’s eviction moratorium expires in October. Behind those tenants, there are 200,000 pending eviction cases in New York City alone that were filed before March 17 that can begin to progress through housing court.

A coalition of healthcare providers is urging Governor Andrew Cuomo and state policymakers to pass legislation to prevent mass evictions. “Preventing evictions and moving towards a system that ensures safe, secure housing for all is an essential part of our continued response to COVID-19,” the coalition wrote in a letter to Governor Cuomo and state legislative leaders. Over 500 healthcare professionals signed a letter to the state Department of Health, urging the department to support eviction prevention legislation and investigate the impact of evictions on public health.

August 25, 2020

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The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that households with children have been more likely to suffer COVID-19 job and income losses, contributing to higher rates of missed rent and debt payments, food insufficiency, and a greater need to dig into savings.

One week after a temporary eviction ban expired in New York, the state court system extended an eviction moratorium through October 1. The new order mandates that no existing or new eviction warrants can be executed until October and continues the suspension of proceedings in new eviction cases brought by landlords after March 17.

August 19, 2020

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As many as 400,000 families across New York City could end up in housing court as the state’s eviction moratorium partially expires on August 5. Governor Andrew Cuomo extended protections for tenants who have been impacted by the pandemic. Still, tenants must gather the necessary paperwork, find an attorney, and go to court to argue their case. The Wall Street Journal also reports that thousands of New Yorkers could be evicted in the coming weeks after the state’s eviction ban expires on August 5.

CBS New York reports that, according to a new study, 1.5 million New Yorkers are unable to pay August rent and are at risk of eviction.

August 11, 2020

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Curbed reports that technology and linguistic barriers are making New York’s emergency rent relief program inaccessible to those who need it most. Efforts to make the application accessible and inclusive do little to make up for the program’s strict eligibility requirements and convoluted application process.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the Landlord-Tenant Mediation Project on July 21 to help workers impacted by the pandemic avoid eviction. The city will partner with community dispute resolution centers to offer free case intake and mediation sessions between landlords and tenants.

Since Governor Andrew Cuomo’s initial eviction moratorium expired on June 20, 719 eviction petitions have been filed. This is just a fraction of the petitions the court would typically receive in a five-week period in previous years. 

Bloomberg reports that the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing New York City’s affordable housing crisis to a breaking point. According to the Community Housing Improvement Program, a quarter of the city’s renters have not paid their rent since March.

August 4, 2020

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The New York Housing Conference, joined by 51 elected officials, former housing agency leaders, and nearly 100 organizations, sent a letter to Congressional leaders on July 17, urging them to prioritize rental assistance and aid to states and localities. The letter calls on Congress to fund $100 billion in rental assistance and $915 billion for state and local governments.

The population of New York City’s jails has nearly halved because of pandemic-related releases. A group of nonprofits and activist organizations have urged the city’s housing authority to end its longstanding policies that discriminate against justice-involved people or people who have been previously incarcerated.

An article in the New York City Patch discussed the findings of NLIHC’s Out of Reach 2020 report, highlighting NLIHC’s warning that the coronavirus pandemic likely will increase hardship for low-income renters.

July 28, 2020

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Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 14 announced an emergency rental assistance program that will be funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). New York’s COVID Rent Relief Program will be administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

Public defenders and housing advocates warn that there will be tens of thousands of eviction cases in New York City once restrictions concerning the reopening of the courts are lifted, likely prompting a new wave of infections and evictions. 

July 20, 2020

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Justice Anthony Cannataro, the administrative judge of the New York City Civil Court, announced on July 9 that in-person eviction trials will resume July 27 in Brooklyn, with other counties soon to follow. 

The New York Daily News editorial board called on state legislators to mandate that landlords offer flexible repayment plan options and urged Congress to authorize billions in emergency rental assistance and extend enhanced unemployment benefits.

July 13, 2020

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A federal judge rejected a lawsuit from three landlords seeking to end Governor Andrew Cuomo’s eviction moratorium. The residential landlords who sued Governor Cuomo claimed that his moratorium and order that allows tenants to use security deposits to pay rent violated their due process, contract, and property rights.

Politico reports on the potential explosion in homelessness that New York will face as federal CARES Act protections expire. Without federal intervention, tens of thousands of New York City residents may face eviction.

July 7, 2020

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A report from the Community Service Society found that in New York, Black renter households face the greatest eviction risk as the moratorium expires. It also found that Latinx tenants are also at risk of increased eviction-related housing insecurity.

Nonprofit Quarterly reports on concerns about a tsunami of eviction filings since the state’s eviction moratorium expired over the weekend. “All levels of government have to realize that they cannot let tens of thousands of people end up in homelessness shelters. It’s the most dire thing that we have ever seen,” said Edward Josephson, the director of litigation and housing at Legal Services NYC.

June 29, 2020

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A coalition of low-income legal service providers sent a letter to the Chief Administrative Judge of the Court State of New York, urging the state court system to halt the reopening of the courts to stop the spread of the coronavirus and prevent mass evictions. Read the letter here.

The Ithaca Common Council narrowly passed a resolution that would allow the mayor to forgive all outstanding rental debt accrued by tenants and small businesses over the last three months. The resolution, which appears to be the first of its kind in the United States, must be approved by the New York State Department of Health (DOH).

The New York state legislature approved the “Emergency Rent Relief Act of 2020” (S. 8419), which established a $100 million rental assistance fund. The vouchers would be funded through CARES Act funds. The bill heads to Governor Andrew Cuomo for this signature.

An article in Curbed discusses the challenges facing New York renters who will be vulnerable to eviction come June 20. Governor Andrew Cuomo extended New York’s eviction moratorium until August 20, but the two-month extension of the moratorium, beginning June 20, only applies to renters who qualify for unemployment benefits or have suffered financial hardship due to COVID-19.

June 12, 2020

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The New York State Legislature approved on May 28 the “Emergency Rent Relief Act of 2020” (S. 8419), which will use $100 million in federal stimulus funds to provide rental assistance vouchers to landlords. Tenant advocates critiqued the bill, arguing that it would not help New Yorkers experiencing homelessness obtain safe, permanent housing and would not reach millions of tenants who are rent-burdened and at risk of eviction.

New York lawmakers passed legislation on May 27 codifying the statewide eviction moratorium and extending it until the end of the COVID-19 emergency for anyone who has experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic. The bill would prohibit landlords from evicting tenants who didn’t pay rent during the pandemic. Landlords could seek a monetary judgment against tenants who owe rent during the pandemic, but they would not be allowed to evict them.

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Rachel Fee, executive director of the New York Housing Conference, an NLIHC state partner, penned an opinion piece in City Limits arguing that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to cut the city’s housing budget by 40% is shortsighted. 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is thwarting efforts to move everyone experiencing homelessness into hotel rooms amid the pandemic. Advocates are concerned that the city’s delay could increase hospitalizations or death among people residing in congregate shelters. Read more in Politico. 

An editorial in the Buffalo News discusses the need to protect both tenants and landlords. COVID-19 has created a conflict between tenants who are now unable to pay their rent and landlords who may desperately rely on rental income.

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ABC News reported that according to the nonprofit Win, more than 325,000 of New York City’s lowest-income households, nearly 1 million people, are at risk of severe income loss and being unable to pay rent. President and CEO of Win Christine Quinn implored that without intervention, such as housing vouchers and additional hotel rooms, millions of people will become homeless after the eviction moratorium is lifted. 

New York City’s largest provider of shelter and services for mothers experiencing homelessness and their children, Win, released a housing stability and recovery plan: The Aftermath Plan: Responding to Homelessness in the Wake of COVID-19. The plan consists of five policy priorities to prevent housing instability for the most vulnerable families.

Advocates are criticizing the de Blasio administration’s decision to transport people experiencing homelessness who were staying on the subway trains to congregate shelters. The Department of Homeless services chose to move people experiencing homelessness to one of the city’s most crowded shelters. Giselle Routhier, policy director for the Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, said that her organization is urging Mayor de Blasio to move these individuals to vacant hotel rooms across the city.

New York housing advocates are concerned that the state’s share of HUD relief funds falls short of its share of national coronavirus cases. Rachel Fee, executive director of the New York Housing Conference, an NLIHC state partner, noted that Florida received nearly the same amount of block grant funding, while having just 12% of coronavirus cases.
The Washington Post published an article discussing New York City’s COVID-19 Hotel Program, which provides free hotel rooms to eligible New Yorkers with mild COVID-19 cases. It also mentions that the hotel program includes protections and accommodations for people experiencing homelessness.

Governor Cuomo extended the statewide moratorium on evictions through August 20. The moratorium was set to expire June 20. The governor said that he will reassess the situation once the end of August comes around.

The New York Police Department deployed 1000 police officers to remove people experiencing homelessness from the city’s subway system as the train cars and platforms are disinfected.  

Uncovered letters from FEMA reveal that the de Blasio administration received federal approval in late March to acquire hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness, raising questions about the city’s recent announcement that it needs more time to acquire a method of reimbursement to expand its hotel program.

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is opposing legislation introduced by the city council that would offer all people experiencing homelessness – 12,000 people in total – the option to stay in the 100,000 vacant private hotel rooms across the city. While de Blasio’s administration argues that the city does not have the funds to afford this, FEMA could likely cover the cost of the program.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the subway shutdown to clean the trains offers an opportunity to engage with people experiencing homelessness who have been using the subway as shelter.

Vijay Dandapani, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, said that city hotels are ready and willing to help house people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. The city cites health and safety concerns as justification for why it has not expanded its current hotel program. Giselle Routhier, policy director for Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, stated that the city’s delay in housing unsheltered residents in hotels is due to a lack of will.  

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the state and city will halt subway service between 1 and 5am each night to disinfect every train every 24 hours. Homeless advocates expressed concern that people experiencing homelessness who had been staying in subway stations will have nowhere to go.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to move as many as 1,000 New Yorkers experiencing homelessness every week from shelters into hotels across the city during the pandemic. As of April 28, 775 New Yorkers experiencing homelessness tested positive for COVID-19. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo referred to the increasing number of people experiencing homelessness staying on New York City subways as “disgusting” and “disrespectful” to essential workers who rely on the subway to get to work.

The Westchester County Department of Social Services reported that it had isolated and monitored 50 COVID-19-positive people experiencing homelessness. The department also said that across Westchester, 75% of its 987 operating shelters, drop-in shelters, and emergency housing units were filled.

VA New York Harbor Healthcare System providers are conducting street outreach and shelter visits to ensure that at-risk veterans experiencing homelessness have access to health support.

The New York City health department began delivering methadone to homeless shelter residents and discharged hospital patients. Under normal circumstances, home delivery of methadone - a controlled substance - is prohibited. Door-to-door delivery of methadone is intended to stem the spread of COVID-19.

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New York City’s Department of Homeless Services reported that 51 people using its services have died due to COVID-19. The coronavirus has spread to more than a third of the city’s 450 shelters.

The New York City Council introduced a virus relief package that included measures to protect tenants and people experiencing homelessness. The legislation would prohibit the collection of debts or evicting tenants impacted by COVID-19 until next April. Another bill included in the relief package would require the city to provide single adults experiencing homelessness with private rooms until the pandemic ends. The City Council also voted on measures to create and preserve over 2,000 units of affordable housing.

New York City fell short of its goal of moving 2,500 people experiencing homelessness to hotel rooms by April 20. The Department of Homeless Services has moved approximately 1,050 people experiencing homelessness into hotel rooms since the onset of COVID-19. The agency is aware of 617 positive COVID-19 cases among people in shelters or lacking stable housing, and as of Monday, 43 people had died.

Four people experiencing homelessness in New York who are staying in hotel rooms crowdfunded through the “Homeless Can’t Stay Home” campaign shared their experiences with The City.

More than 500 New York-based doctors, nurses, and social workers sent a letter to city officials, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo urging the city to take immediate actions to protect people experiencing homelessness. As of Thursday, 537 homeless people had tested positive for COVID-19, and 33 have died. Read the letter here.

New York’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) requested that developers of nearly completed affordable housing projects increase the number of apartments allocated for people experiencing homelessness. While this would not be a legal requirement, HPD would use city rental voucher money to pay for the units allocated for the people who were formerly homeless.

The Coalition for the Homeless and allies continue to urge elected officials to protect homeless New Yorkers during COVID-19. The number of single adults in New York City’s homeless shelter system reached a record high last week. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 17,700 single men and women slept in shelters last Thursday.

New York City Housing Authority’s 2,200 densely populated buildings are being challenged to contain the outbreak of COVID-19. For example, already in deep need of maintenance and repairs, many of the buildings are not being regularly cleaned or disinfected. 
 
Michael Che, a Saturday Night Live comedian, shared an open letter revealing that he lost his grandmother to complications from COVID-19 — and today he announced that, in her honor, he will be paying the rent for all the units her New York City Housing Authority building (NYCHA) for a month. “It’s crazy to me that residents of public housing are still expected to pay their rent when so many New Yorkers can’t even work.” 

New York was granted a major disaster declaration this week by President Trump. However, FEMA has not yet responded to questions regarding whether individual assistance or disaster unemployment programs will be offered.

An Albany Housing Authority employee tested positive for COVID-19 the public housing property where the employee resided is now under quarantine.

An op-ed in City Limits by Judi Kende of DHRC-member Enterprise Community Partners, calls for New York to quickly move to create a housing voucher system to combat homelessness.

Over 99 people living in New York City’s homeless shelters have tested positive for COVID-19. The current situation is the result of years of underfunding by the state and city government.

NY1 covered the story of a NYC couple living in their car with COVID-19.

New York lawmakers seek to prevent evictions through new legislation that would extend a statewide moratorium on evictions.
 
Advocates urge NYC to house homeless in hotels during COVID pandemic.

New York City

According to a report from the Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, the New York City neighborhoods with the highest rates of COVID-19 are expected to experience the highest levels of evictions and homelessness once the moratorium is lifted in August.

Nearly 20% of New York City’s hotels are operating as temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness. Of the more than 17,000 adults experiencing homelessness in the city’s shelter system, 13,000 are currently residing in hotels.

The New York City Rent Guidelines Board, which sets rents for roughly 2.3 million residents of rent-regulated apartments, approved a measure on June 17 that froze rents for one year.

June 29, 2020

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An op-ed in the New York Daily News urges New York City to keep housing courts closed to a surge of new nonpayment eviction cases. Instead, the authors urge federal and state lawmakers to establish a rental assistance program outside the court system to assistance tenants facing income losses pay arrears.

New Yorkers staying in shelters face a disproportionately high mortality rate during the pandemic, according to a recent report by Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, As of June 1, the overall New York City mortality rate due to COVID-19 was 200 deaths per 100,000 people. For New Yorkers residing in shelters, it was 321 deaths per 100,000 people - 61% higher than the New York City rate. An article in Curbed New York discusses the Coalition’s findings.

Advocates are calling for more transparency about coronavirus cases in New York City shelters. New York City’s Department of Homeless Services has not disclosed the number of coronavirus infections and deaths for specific shelters. It has provided only information about the entire shelter system, leaving shelter workers and residents in a state of anxiety and fear.

An opinion piece in City Limits argues that the purpose of the New York City housing court, which is one of the busiest courts in the United States, is antithetical to the mitigation of COVID-19. Reopening housing courts will lead to evictions that will disproportionately harm low-income minority communities and will increase the risk of coronavirus exposure to tenants, court workers, and attorneys. 

Funding for a temporary program that provides hotel rooms for people released from city jails during the pandemic will expire at the end of June. Advocates are calling on New York City government officials to replenish re-entry housing funds that help people recently released from jails and prisons and people experiencing homelessness who experience housing discrimination.

June 22, 2020

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New York City has implemented a citywide curfew through the morning of Monday, June 8. Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, and the Legal Aid Society prepared a “Know Your Rights” flyer for people experiencing homelessness about the citywide curfew.

June 12, 2020

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An opinion piece in City Limits calls on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to address the short- and long-term safety and housing needs of people experiencing homelessness, instead of offering inadequate solutions that criminalize and pathologize these individuals. The #HomelessCantStayHome campaign is urging Mayor de Blasio to provide a minimum of 30,000 hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness, which could be paid for primarily through federal funding.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees affordable housing development and has asked developers to voluntarily rent out additional apartments to families experiencing homelessness. Nine developers have agreed to rent out units, resulting in 200 families who will receive their own apartments. HPD commissioners have expressed that COVID-19 has pushed the city to develop solutions for moving families experiencing homelessness out of the shelter system.

Approximately 30 protesters laid out mock “bodybags” outside of New York City Hall on May 26 to protest the city’s treatment of people experiencing homelessness. VOCAL-NY, an organization that advocates for low-income New Yorkers, organized the protest. The protesters demanded that the city pay for 30,000 hotel rooms and stop the NYPD and Department of Homeless Services sweeps.

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Residents at NYC homeless shelters are becoming concerned about the cleanliness of shelters in the city, worrying that the lack of sanitation may spread the virus.

With up to 20 individuals living in the same room, residents of NYC’s congregate shelters face a high risk of infection.

In the meantime, the City of New York is posting notices to homeless encampments warning of them to vacate the premises or lose their belongings. The CDC directly advises against such “street sweeps” during the pandemic.

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on New York City's public housing system, where the NYC housing authority oversees roughly 174,000 apartments. Many public housing tenants have multiple chronic conditions and lack a primary care physician making them at risk for COVID-19. 

Residents at a city homeless shelter on Randall’s Island are concerned over what they say are unsanitary living conditions putting residents at for COVID-19. Former resident Alfonzo Forney, 41, is circulating a petition signed by dozens who live in the shelter demanding new management.

New York City homeless advocates have called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to house homeless individuals in the city’s more than 100,000 empty hotel rooms. 

There are stark differences in COVID infection rates in New York City based on education and race. New analysis by researchers at New York University's Furman Center found that strongest neighborhood factors linked to high COVID-19 rates were having a large share of black and Hispanic residents; having a high proportion of overcrowded apartments and having a large share of residents without college degrees.

Buffalo

Congressman Brian Higgins (D-NY) announced that the city of Buffalo and the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority will receive nearly $100,000 in new COVID-19 federal funding to provide affordable housing to non-elderly people living with disabilities through the Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program.

New York City has released interim guidance for homeless shelters in the area. The document aims to help shelters prevent the spread of COVID-19 and prepare for an outbreak if it were to occur. 

Article Title	Link
Congress, throw renters a lifeline	Daily News
Housing cuts would exacerbate inequality	Daily News
DAVID PRICE & NITA LOWEY: Coronavirus crisis is a housing crisis	WRAL

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

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Curbed NY reports that 14,500 New Yorkers have pending eviction warrants and will be the first tenants evicted when the state’s eviction moratorium expires in October. Behind those tenants, there are 200,000 pending eviction cases in New York City alone that were filed before March 17 that can begin to progress through housing court.

August 28, 2020

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As many as 400,000 families across New York City could end up in housing court as the state’s eviction moratorium partially expires on August 5. Governor Andrew Cuomo extended protections for tenants who have been impacted by the pandemic. Still, tenants must gather the necessary paperwork, find an attorney, and go to court to argue their case. The Wall Street Journal also reports that thousands of New Yorkers could be evicted in the coming weeks after the state’s eviction ban expires on August 5.

August 12, 2020

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The Tenant Safe Harbour Act was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor on 6/30. It suspends eviction enforcement for all those that can prove financial hardship due to COVID-19 until the public health emergency ends. Evictions in cases of hardship can still be filed, and monetary settlements made, but evictions, where COVID-19 hardship is proven, can't be enforced. The Tenant Safe Harbour Act offers protection that tenants can use to argue their case in court, but does not protect them from going to court in the first place. Courts began accepting eviction filings by mail on June 20, but most hearings (with the exception of evictions filed before the state of emergency) suspended until August 5. The Governor issued an executive order on May 7 prohibiting the initiation of eviction proceedings for all nonpayment evictions involving COVID-19 hardship and required the landlord to provide an affidavit that they weren't violating an eviction protections if they chose to file. On July 7, the governor altered that executive order, removing the requirement on landlords to submit an affidavit asserting their tenant had not experienced COVID-19 hardship, claiming that they were now covered by the Tenant Safe Harbour Act. He maintained such protections for commercial tenants and tolled all deadlines to prosecute to Aug. 5. Therefore, some residential evictions can begin to be heard as early as Aug. 5, but enforcement in cases of COVID-19 hardship is still prohibited until Aug. 20. 

August 1, 2020

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In the third week of July, 33.9% of adults in New York reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 1,638,031 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.

New York City

In response to Governor Cuomo’s quiet rollback of eviction protections in early July, a move that is but one in a long line of increasingly conflicting eviction policies, the director of litigation and housing at Legal Services NYC exclaimed: “It’s ridiculous, I’ve been in the industry for 32 years, and no, I can’t think of anything ever like this.” (July 10) Local experts believe the 63 residential eviction cases that have been processed by housing courts in Brooklyn and Queens since Governor Cuomo’s broadest eviction moratorium expired on June 20 are simply taste of what is to come. A researcher and professor at the Graduate Center at CUNY predicts the coming wave of evictions “is likely going be as bad as the great depression and probably worse.”

July 27

July 29, 2020

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According to a weekly survey by the Census, 37% of adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

New York City

New York City expects 50,000 to 60,000 eviction cases.

June 22

July 16, 2020