ERAP funds help housing crisis in NY

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Housing continues to be an issue here in New York. This past session, the legislature couldn’t not agree on a housing plan. A report from the comptroller's office looked into funds for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. ERAP launched nationwide back in 2021 in response to economic effects from the pandemic. The program is federally and state funded. As of this past May, ERAP distributed $3.1 billion to 250,000 applicants across New York. 

81% of that funding went to New York City residents. The program closed to new applications in January. Deputy Comptroller, Rahul Jain explained, who was eligible. "You have to make less than 80% of area median income. You also had to show that you had rent arrears which means that you had back rent, that you hadn’t paid yet, and in order to get what they call perspective funding, so some funding to pay for future rent you need to be able to show you were rent burdened which means that you pay more than 30% of your income towards rent," said Jain.

The money also covered utility bills and waived late fees. However Jain said this kind of spending may not be sustainable. "The eviction numbers continue to rise, and what we’re not seeing is - especially in New York City area - is employment rising enough where it’s sort of able to make up for some of the affordability issues we’re talking about, and so this will continue to be an issue," said Jain.

Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas said ERAP has been a lifesaver for people in her district. "I represent a district that is about 66% of renters and I know many of them were struggling to make ends meet particularly during and as we’re moving out of the pandemic. However we are hearing that our NYCHA residents, the public housing residents have not yet received any funding from ERAP and that’s really concerning," she said.

Officials said, because public housing already receives federal aid, they'll be the last to receive any ERAP funds, but are expected to receive $128 million dollars. However González-Rojas said that’s not enough, "The big concern about $128 million is that from what we understand, and the community service society has estimated, that NYCHA rental arrears as of June 2023 amount to over $589 million." She said advancing Good Cause Eviction and dedicating funds towards ERAP will help with the housing crisis and it’s an issue that will certainly be addressed next session.