The eviction moratorium in New York comes to an end in approximately 45 days and housing advocates say $2 billion is needed in next year’s state budget to keep things afloat.
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which represents around 4,000 housing operators, say that approximately $2 billion will be needed in the next budget due to thousands of renters who remain in arrears.
A Community Housing Improvement Program survey found that 100,000 tenants are in ‘significant’ arrears and have not received any assistance in New York.
The news comes after a billion dollars from federal aid had remained in limbo due to issues with the state getting that money to renters or landlords.
“The state is facing a serious housing problem. Eviction Moratoriums have delayed the inevitable and many renters cannot wait for federal rent relief to come. They need the state to act to prevent evictions now,” said Jay Martin, the group’s executive director. “With future COVID variants likely it’s time for the state to create a true safety net for New Yorkers renters facing this and future storms.”
The state is requesting nearly $1 billion more from the federal government. But that request has not been met with open arms so far.
A survey from October found that nearly 14% of renters are more than two months behind on rent. “The truth is that many struggling New Yorkers have not applied for ERAP,” the group said. “If the state does not step in and help these renters, then they will be saddled with massive amounts of debt and could be displaced from their homes.”
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