How does Emergency Rental Assistance Program work?

Assistance may cover: Up to 12 months of late rent. Up to 3 months of future rent if your household will spend 30 percent or more of gross monthly income to pay for rent. Up to 12 months of late electric or gas utility bills. If you are found eligible, you may receive these protections related to the ERAP payment: You cannot be evicted for not paying late rent covered by the ERAP payment. Your landlord cannot collect late fees associated with the ERAP payment. Your landlord cannot increase your monthly rent for one year. Your landlord cannot bring certain types of eviction cases against you for one year. Payment will be made directly to the landlord, property owner, or utility company on the tenant’s behalf. Tenants will notified of payment made on their behalf. Payment will not be considered income for tenants qualifying for public assistance and benefits. You can apply even if you have an eviction case pending against you. Applying will likely suspend an eviction case. Landlords have the option to decline ERAP payments. If this is the case, tenants are still encouraged to apply because an approved ERAP application may be used as a defense if you are brought to court. U.S. citizenship is not a requirement. Immigration status will not be requested Landlords can apply on behalf of tenants. Tenants should apply as soon as possible. While your ERAP application is pending, you will likely be protected from certain types of eviction. Starting July 2021, applications will be reviewed on a first come first served basis.

Am I eligible for Emergency Rental Assistance Program?

U.S. citizenship is not a requirement and immigration status will not be requested. You may be eligible if you can answer yes to all of these questions. Do you have overdue rent (rental arrears) for rent owed after March 2020? Did one or more members of your household lose income directly, or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic? This can include: receiving Unemployment Insurance having less income having a significant increase in expenses Is your household’s current or calendar year 2020 gross income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI)? See this chart for NYC income thresholds. Family Size 80% AMI Income in a year 80% AMI Income in a month 80% AMI Income in a week 1 $66,850 $5,570 $1,285 2 $76,400 $6,366 $1,469 3 $85,950 $7,162 $1,652 4 $95,450 $7,954 $1,835 5 $103,100 $8,591 $1,982 6 $110,750 $9,229 $2,129 7 $118,400 $9,866 $2,276 8 $126,000 $10,500 $2,423 9 $133,650 $11,137 $2,570 10 $141,250 $11,770 $2,716 11 $148,900 $12,408 $2,863 12 $156,550 $13,045 $3,010

Emergency Rental Assistance Program

1. How it Works

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) helps renters with rental arrears (late rent), late utility bills, limited future rent, and provides protection from certain types of eviction and rent increases.

Assistance may cover:
- Up to 12 months of late rent.
- Up to 3 months of future rent if your household will spend 30 percent or more of gross monthly income to pay for rent.
- Up to 12 months of late electric or gas utility bills.
If you are found eligible, you may receive these protections related to the ERAP payment:
- You cannot be evicted for not paying late rent covered by the ERAP payment.
- Your landlord cannot collect late fees associated with the ERAP payment.
- Your landlord cannot increase your monthly rent for one year.
- Your landlord cannot bring certain types of eviction cases against you for one year.
Payment will be made directly to the landlord, property owner, or utility company on the tenant’s behalf.
- Tenants will notified of payment made on their behalf.
- Payment will not be considered income for tenants qualifying for public assistance and benefits.
You can apply even if you have an eviction case pending against you. Applying will likely suspend an eviction case.
- Landlords have the option to decline ERAP payments. If this is the case, tenants are still encouraged to apply because an approved ERAP application may be used as a defense if you are brought to court.
U.S. citizenship is not a requirement. Immigration status will not be requested
Landlords can apply on behalf of tenants.
Tenants should apply as soon as possible. While your ERAP application is pending, you will likely be protected from certain types of eviction. Starting July 2021, applications will be reviewed on a first come first served basis.

Next section:

2. Determine Your Eligibility

2. Determine your eligibility

U.S. citizenship is not a requirement and immigration status will not be requested.

You may be eligible if you can answer yes to all of these questions.

Do you have overdue rent (rental arrears) for rent owed after March 2020?
Did one or more members of your household lose income directly, or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic? This can include:
- receiving Unemployment Insurance
- having less income
- having a significant increase in expenses
Is your household’s current or calendar year 2020 gross income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI)?
- See this chart for NYC income thresholds.

Family Size	80% AMI Income in a year	80% AMI Income in a month	80% AMI Income in a week
1	$66,850	$5,570	$1,285
2	$76,400	$6,366	$1,469
3	$85,950	$7,162	$1,652
4	$95,450	$7,954	$1,835
5	$103,100	$8,591	$1,982
6	$110,750	$9,229	$2,129
7	$118,400	$9,866	$2,276
8	$126,000	$10,500	$2,423
9	$133,650	$11,137	$2,570
10	$141,250	$11,770	$2,716
11	$148,900	$12,408	$2,863
12	$156,550	$13,045	$3,010

Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.

Am I Eligible?

Next section:

3. What You Need to Include

3. What you need to include

You will need the documents below to apply:

For each member of your household, one of the following:

Photo I.D.
Driver’s license or non-driver government-issued ID
Passport
EBT/Benefits Issuance Card
Birth or baptismal certificate
School registration

Next section:

4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

Tenants should apply as soon as possible. While your ERAP application is pending, you will likely be protected from certain types of eviction. Starting July 2021, applications will be reviewed on a first come first served basis.

NYCHA residents: When applying, be sure to select either “Public Housing” or “Section 8” depending on which program, if any, apply to your housing.”

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New Assistance to pay late rent and utilities owed due to COVID-19.