Res. No. 544
Resolution calling on the State to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would fully fund rent arrears at NYCHA since the start of the pandemic.
By Council Members Avilés, Richardson Jordan, Farías, Marte, Hudson, Hanif, Brewer and Restler
Whereas, The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) provides affordable housing to low and moderate income families; and
Whereas, NYCHA serves 339,900 authorized residents in 162,143 apartments within 277 housing developments in their conventional public housing program; and
Whereas, Many New York City residents, including NYCHA residents, struggled financially and otherwise during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to struggle today; and
Whereas, According to the NYU Furman Center, about 735,000 renter households in New York City have at least one household member who has lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
Whereas, The State created the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to help eligible New York households who have requested help for rental and utility amounts that went unpaid during the COVID-19 crisis; and
Whereas, ERAP provides significant economic relief to low and moderate income tenants and helps property owners obtain rents that are due; and
Whereas, According to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), 395,994 applicants statewide applied to ERAP and only 216,916 of those applicants have received help as of January 5, 2023; and
Whereas, When a tenant submits an ERAP application, the property owner cannot evict the tenant for not paying rent during the covered period unless it is determined that the household is ineligible to receive ERAP assistance; and
Whereas, OTDA reported on January 13, 2023 that ERAP applicants from subsidized housing, which includes public housing, Section 8 housing and applicants receiving the Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement, are currently not being paid; and
Whereas, OTDA stated that when the State created the ERAP program, the legislation specifically placed public housing tenants and other types of subsidized housing at the bottom of the list for reimbursement; and
Whereas, On March 13, 2023, NYCHA testified at a New York City Council hearing that roughly 73,000 households owed a combined $466 million in rent which has nearly quadrupled since 2019 when the arrears stood at $125 million; and
Whereas, NYCHA tenants should receive assistance from the ERAP program since these tenants struggled just like many other New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic; now therefore be it,
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would fully fund rent arrears at NYCHA since the start of the pandemic.
JLC
LS 11856
3/14/2023