ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Governor Kathy Hochul signed off on the state’s eviction moratorium extension early this morning. The ban will now continue until January 15th.
The Governor and lawmakers are urging tenants in need to apply to the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program. That website can be found at: otda.ny.gov/programs/emergency-rental-assistance
In addition to an increase in the appropriation to the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program, there’s also a Supplemental Emergency Rental Assistance program that tenants will soon be able to apply to on the same site.
But, while the eviction moratorium has been extended, there are some new protections this time around for landlords. “If a tenant says, ‘hey I still can’t pay because of COVID,’ the landlord now has the opportunity to challenge that to say ‘wait a minute, you are able to pay your rent, you shouldn’t be prevented from being evicted.'” said Tully Rinckey Partner Derrick Hogan.
A spokesperson for the Governor’s office also says “A new landlord application portal is in development for landlords whose tenants refuse to participate or have vacated the residence with arrears.”
And, as far as the $25 million in funds for legal services to help tenants facing evictions goes, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance “will be developing a process for distributing” that.