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NY’s Rent Relief Program Has Yet to Cut a Check Amid Inefficiencies and Frustrations

22 Comments

  • db
    Posted July 15, 2021 at 10:57 am

    Don’t know how this process is going to get any better. The state is changing what tenants and landlords need to submit every two days. They launched a process with no process and logic or direction. Tenants and landlords are scrambling for a piece of the 2.5 available Billion dollars. And whomever is in charge has no clue.

  • Nancy Chambers
    Posted July 22, 2021 at 12:16 am

    It’s like staring into a void.
    Hubby & l are seniors who are relatively internet savvy. Our adjusted gross is below the 50% AMI, even tho we don’t live in an ‘underserved’ zip code.
    I applied on June 4th.
    Every time l call to check the status of our application a different rep will tell me something different. Including several times telling me l had to re-apply.
    And then the next rep telling me no, the application is complete and the last time l called l was assured it’s pending and now we just need to wait to get approved or denied.
    But…my landlord’s rep is being told their info is missing from my portion of the application.
    I’d been over & over that info many times & kept notes of every call/conversation.
    And been told it IS there.
    It’s getting scary because the financial situation is still way behind.
    What are we to do?
    Having a bureaucratic void is really difficult for seniors so far in arrears.
    How do we get answers?

  • Sheldon
    Posted July 22, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Well, from what I understand is that we are one of only a handful of states which has not released any emergency rental assistance. For a state that claims to be so progressive and concerned for the poor; this doe’s not look good. How can other states get the ball rolling in an efficient manner and not New York?

  • Tricia
    Posted July 25, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    It’s upsetting I applied June 1 submitted all the documents several times. I call every other week and all I get is an attitude from the agents and wrong information. The urgency is lacking I’ve been waiting for 8 weeks now. I was told by an agent it’s only 7 weeks what’s the rush. I guess she’s rich and doesn’t understand homelessness.

  • Sarah Billings
    Posted July 28, 2021 at 6:16 pm

    This process has been ridiculous!! I’m A 42-year-old financial student that works for a very small accou. nting company. I was the last person hired by the company so I was the first one let go at the onset of the pandemic. I have been receiving unemployment, but it’s nowhere near what I need to pay rent. I haven’t entirely not paid my rent but I’ve been paying between a third and a half of it each month, I started trying to get into the portal immediately on June 1st but it didn’t even work to let you into the application until at least the 4th or 5th. At that point I started an application but because I didn’t sign in and create an account I was not able to stop the application to get the documents I needed. So I got all the documents, I created an account, and did an entire other application. So I am one of those people with duplicate applications, and I just received an email this week stating so. My landlord was frustrated and I even needed to help him get together the documentation that he needed to submit. It seems like an extremely long process that is getting us nowhere!! Up until the pandemic I’ve never been laid on my rent, my credit score is over 750, and I’m not in an underserved neighborhood… Now my fear is even though I made well under the $41,000 last year, I’ll be pushed to the back because I live in Bay ridge and have paid part of my rent. Frustrating is the nicest word I can think of. Here’s to helping I get caught up and don’t have rent debt to add to student loan debt 🙄
    Sarah B

  • Cindy
    Posted July 29, 2021 at 8:11 am

    It’s so frustrating, I apply on June 2 or 3 and still waiting! I called them and they said my landlord hasn’t provided there info but the landlord had called me for my application number and date of birth ! Not sure what’s going on I have 4 kids and I am very worry!!

  • PM
    Posted July 29, 2021 at 11:18 am

    The fact that arrears are required, with no consideration for the fact that many people, just to be fair to their landlords and to honor the lease agreement they signed, went into all kinds of debt (whether it be credit cards, a personal loan – if they qualify for either of these things, or just borrowing from friends or family) to stay current on their rent, even though it might have been barely possible most of the time, is really absurd. I understand that we need to help the people who didn’t even have that ability pay back what they owe to avoid eviction, but to have the only rent relief program now completely disqualify those who DID find some way to scrape together their payment and stay current is a horrible thing that no one seems to be discussing. I have been getting dozens of stories from people who now regret having paid their rent, people who went without ANY health insurance because they had to choose between COBRA and rent, and now it turns out they could’ve skipped on rent all this time and the state would cover it. There needs to be a way for the people who took debt, or whose health was at risk taking two crappy jobs when their real career was destroyed by Covid shutdowns, to recover some of that money. (Even the prospective 3 months you could receive is not available unless you have arrears already).
    To me this is egregious and totally out of touch with reality. I have been baffled that I don’t see more outrage about that part of it.

    • T
      Posted August 3, 2021 at 9:47 am

      Agree 100% I struggled to pay every utility and rent …. My landlord refinanced to be able to help me …. I have now a lot of credit card debt for bills. People have helped me … but on paper we can’t show the struggle. Unfair

  • MK
    Posted August 1, 2021 at 1:53 am

    My application status says — Pending Quality Cont — What does it means ? Applied june 1st. submit all documents from me & my landlord. Still pending. I don’t know its gone approve or not ?

  • Joann Loffler
    Posted August 4, 2021 at 1:03 pm

    We have to pay the landlord the water bill portion of our rent,added onto rent bill monthly. We fell behind on the waterbill portion but all rent is paid. We applied. We’re very low income. The municipal water is very bad and not safe to drink. We buy bottled water for consumption. Since the pendemic, bottle water has creeped up in cost along with everything else, causing our low income to deplete more and more and struggle harder than ever. We got all documents, id’s, and cost of what we owe in. They show at OTDA,EARP that everything is in but sits pending. When we called, we were given three different explanations, a run around basically,wrong information from of the agents and nothing since. Our landlord is tired of being a landlord. They want to sell while houses are high priced…We have been trying to buy it but had to go through the program,take the class,jump through hoops and still trying to get through everything. We could end up homeless over this. We have no where to move nor can we afford to move or rent another place. We’re disabled so our options are less than others. We need help and not getting it with through the 2 billion provided to New York.

  • Jamie
    Posted August 8, 2021 at 10:11 pm

    To “PM” who claims some people had to choose between COBRA and rent when they were let go due to the pandemic emergency and financial crisis that followed, Sir that is an absolutely FALSEHOOD. Every NYer who lost their jobs received MEDICAID and SNAP Benefits especially if they had minor children. As far as rent arrears are concerned, mind YOUR business and pat yourself on the back. Some of us have serious illnesses and were forced to purchase masks (PPE) and cleaning supplies and hazmat suits at a PREMIUM COST during the roughest stages of the pandemic lockdown. Out of touch with reality? Coats skyrocketed in my community because of supply/demand breakdowns. The fact that you are salty about families in dire need getting assistance demonstrates all that is wrong with this Nation.

  • Raymond salcedo
    Posted August 9, 2021 at 11:45 pm

    I just read this a few minutes before posting this comment. Im curious if anyone has received an acceptance or better yet, got their rent paid already? I submitted everything since 6/16 and all it says is pending owner documents but they’re all there.

    • Corey Hankinson
      Posted August 14, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      almost nobody at all

  • gette
    Posted August 11, 2021 at 3:39 pm

    My owner status says active with risk. there are no explanations I have no clue what that means and my app status has been document review com for weeks.. ugh june 3rd applicant here

    • Carla
      Posted August 23, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      Same here Documents reviewed com, applied June 1st and absolutely no changes. Just at a stand still😬

  • Charlene Fitzgerald
    Posted August 11, 2021 at 4:12 pm

    I applied June 6. All paperwork has been submitted. Everything says clear except owner status first it said hold now it says risk alert. What does that mean.

  • Christopher Ponniah
    Posted August 29, 2021 at 4:29 pm

    I applied for rental assistance(tenant) two weeks ago & owner portal done by landlord front of me last week.
    They created the sign in and upload all documents with the assistance of OTDA representative online(over the phone online)
    The representative of OTDA says the paemt will be deposited within 4-6 weeks.
    Both parties of the documents went thru successfully .
    BUT we didn’t get any call from OTDA about any missing docs or approval.
    How can we get informed? Whom we contact ? We 4 members family. Need firm replay. If anybody recieve OTDA rental assistance? Let us know.

  • B.K.
    Posted October 7, 2021 at 11:15 pm

    Waiting since June, no money from ERAP, tenants stopped paying the rent. No info if they get approved or denied. Rude and not helpful customer service, asking for tenants personal email and cell number if called early in the morning …
    This program fails landlords and creates many opportunities to abuse the system .

  • Sherry
    Posted October 18, 2021 at 9:24 am

    Applied since beginning of June, neither money or response received yet. 4 weeks ago I called and was told the application was in final review stage, still no result after four weeks passing by.

  • Maria Rivera
    Posted August 17, 2022 at 2:26 pm

    I have applied for ERAP program on 6/30/2021 and when I called to check my status and I was told that NYCHA tenants are LAST on the list because the people that are not living in NYC Housing will be first. I was also told that the ERAP funds might not be enough to help the people in NYCHA cause its not really for NYCHA. THAT”S WHAT I WAS TOLD WHEN I CALLED.

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