Happy February!

According to OTDA over 304,657 applications have been submitted since June for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. A report has shown that $587 million out of the $2 billion in rent assistance funds has been distributed. Applications after January 11, 2022 will be denied if the applicant is above 120% AMI or has already received the 12 maximum months of arrears. OTDA does not want ERAP to be used as a de facto moratorium on housing court proceedings.

OTDA testified at a budget hearing that ERAP does not have enough funds and more than 100,000 renters that applied will be left dry. NYCHA has announced that they will not move to evict tenants that have applied for ERAP. $104 million out of $125 million for LRAP has been paid out. Roughly 10,000 owners have been assisted.

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development has come out with a new Certificate of no Harassment Pilot Program Building list. Although this new law has been in effect for a few months now, it has yet to be implemented.

The Brookings Institution has come out with an analysis piece on rent regulation and how a zoning reform could create thousands of housing units in New York. To read more about this check out the link below:


New York’s ideas for zoning reform offer many paths to tackling the housing crisis Noah KazisMonday, January 31, 2022