The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding financial fallout compounded many longstanding housing stability and affordability issues faced by New Yorkers. In June 2021, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) was created to provide economic relief to low- and moderate-income households at risk of homelessness due to the pandemic. The program was rushed to meet the immediate threat of evictions due to the COVID shutdowns, and the hastiness of ERAP’s creation has led to a wave of litigation, including a recent New York Supreme Court ruling.

The Commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) was charged with establishing eligibility standards to receive funds distributed under ERAP. Eligible households included those in which the tenant or occupant had an obligation to pay rent for their primary residence. If the eligibility standards were met, unpaid rent that had accrued during the period of the pandemic (for up to a total of 15 months) was paid by OTDA directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant, thereby eliminating the risk of eviction based on nonpayment of rent. At the inception of the program, no distinction was made between rental tenants, occupants, and cooperative shareholders.

This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.

To view this content, please continue to their sites.

Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Why am I seeing this?

LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.

For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]