Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she has requested more Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds. More than 250,000 applications have been submitted but as many as 100,000 of those applications will not be getting funds unless the state can get more funding for the program.

Let's talk about the moratorium. Tenant activists are saying that this new moratorium is not truly a moratorium. Since landlords have been able to challenge these hardships, renters have to give proof of their personal finances and some cases are even allowed to proceed. Their biggest concern is that these property owners are not facing the “penalty of perjury” if they are challenging tenants' hardships without a good faith basis. However the Office of Court Administration has defended its judges. Specifically one case in the Bronx where a case was able to proceed due to the fact that the property owner was able to provide security camera footage of the tenant leaving everyday during the pandemic at the same time, which could conclude that the tenant was going to work. Make sure you are following for more updates on this topic.

Democrats appear to have reached an agreement. A $1.75 Trillion spending plan that will include $150 billion for investing more on affordable housing. Part of this investment will go to rent assistance which will also go to expanding housing choice vouchers. The details of this plan are not concrete yet but you can read more about this in the link below.

Here’s what’s in the Democrats’ $1.75 trillion Build Back Better plan