The Emergency Rental Assistance Program helps households behind on their rent that have
experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 and are at risk of homelessness or housing
instability.
In addition, the program can provide temporary rental assistance and help with unpaid utility
bills.
To apply for New York's Emergency Rental Assistance program and click on the apply now link.
If you need assistance applying for this program, including needing the application in an alternative
format, there are resources available to help you.
Visit our website to find contact information for Community Based Organizations who will
be available in each region to assist you in completing the application.
Before getting started on the application, you may want to collect all of the documentation
that you will need to apply.
This will include your personal identification, as well as the identification for all members
of the household; the social security number of all household members that have been issued
one; proof of your rental amount; proof of residency and occupancy; proof of income;
and a copy of your gas or electric utility bill if you plan to seek assistance for utility
arrears.
You do not need to have a social security number or lawful immigration status to apply
for the program.
We suggest visiting our ERAP website to familiarize yourself with these documents prior to starting
your application.
Once you are in the application, you can choose which language you would like it to be in.
The options are English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Korean,
Russian and Yiddish.
When you start the application, if you are submitting this application on behalf of someone
else, please be sure to answer yes, and provide your identifying information.
The first page will collect your personal information.
This will include your name, date of birth, gender, address, email and phone number.
If you have a social security number, it should be included here.
If you do not have a social security number, additional options will pop up for you to
provide a driver's license, Taxpayer Identification or other government-issued ID number if available.
Please be sure to fill in your primary language, in case we need to contact you.
It's important that you let us know if you currently rent your home, the terms of your
lease, your current employment status, whether you are a full time student, and your tax
status for the 2020 tax year.
Be sure to answer all questions that may pop up.
You'll also be given an opportunity to designate an emergency contact.
Next, tell us a little bit about the impact COVID-19 has had on you.
In particular, we want to know about the financial impact you have experienced because of COVID-19.
Tell us if you, or any household member, received unemployment benefits at any point since March
13, 2020.
Or if you, and other household members, have experienced a reduction in household income,
or have had increased costs due to COVID-19, or have experienced other financial hardships.
Be sure to answer all questions, and select all options that apply to your financial situation.
Next, we'll collect information about the household members.
If there are people living in the household with you, select yes, and please indicate
the total number of household members, including yourself.
Be sure to enter the information for each household member.
Click add member to enter the information for each additional household member.
Household income will be collected on page 4.
It's important that you disclose all income on your application.
We'll need to know if you or a member of the household is in receipt of Public Assistance;
receive SNAP benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; or receives
Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
As well as if any household members are enrolled in Medicaid or receive any type of Supplemental
Security Income.
There are a number of excluded income sources under this program.
Read and consider them carefully as you enter your income.
Documented income sources may include employment, unemployment benefits, child support, other
fixed income, self-employment, and other income.
Follow screen prompts to enter information about the income for you and your household
members.
Next, you'll now tell us about the lease on the property for which you are requesting
rental assistance.
Some information will be pre-populated based on your earlier responses such as the property
address, and lease term.
But we also need to know when your lease began, and the lease end date, the rental amount,
type of house or apartment, the number of bedrooms, and whether your unit is rent controlled,
rent regulated, Mitchell-Lama, Section 8, Public Housing or falls under another subsidy
program.
It's also important that you share your leasing arrangement with us.
Are you renting the entire unit from the owner, sub-leasing the entire unit, renting a room
from the owner, or renting a lot?
Next, please include the name and contact information for the landlord.
After completing all the lease details, you'll be asked about the status of your rental arrears.
You must enter the amount of past due rent that you currently still owe.
Enter the Regular Monthly Rent, Amount Past Due, and fees for that month.
To add additional months of arrears, repeat.
If you or any member of your household need assistance paying future rent, let us know
on this page.
Please note that you need to be paying 30% or more of your gross monthly income towards
rent to be eligible for future assistance.
After entering the past due rent amounts for all applicable months, advance the application
to page 7 utilities.
If you need assistance with utility arrears, let us know how your household pays for heat,
gas and electric.
We need to know if you are paying for these utilities separately from your rent.
If you have gas or electric utility arrears, indicate yes on the application.
You'll be asked to provide the name of your utility company, your account number, and
the details about your past due bills.
Once you have completed the utility section of the application, you'll be asked to tell
us about any prior or current rental assistance you may have applied for or received.
We'll need to know if you or any member of your household live in federal or state subsidized
housing; and if since March 2020, you or any member of your household received or are currently
receiving Section 8, HOPWA, or another public housing benefit.
Also us know if your household has applied for or received assistance for paying back
rent (arrears) since March 2020.
Be sure to select all applicable programs.
Before finishing your application, please be sure to indicate your communication preferences.
Let us know if you want to be contacted via email or text message; or if you would rather
receive paper notices in the mail.
You should also identify your preferred language for written communications on this section
of the application.
And, be sure to let us know if you require an alternative format.
To finish your application, you will be asked to certify and attest to all of the information
you have provided in your application.
Be sure to read carefully and to attest and certify your application prior to clicking
submit.
You'll need to submit certain required documents as part of your application.
You will be able to upload these documents, but if you don t have a scanner at home, don
t worry, you can take photos of each document with your phone, and upload them.
Now, after completing your application, be sure to make note of your applicant/client
ID for future reference.
Once you have submitted all of your needed documents, your application is complete.
If you submit an accurate and complete application, eligibility review staff will determine if
you qualify for rental assistance.
If you don t submit a complete application, you'll receive a list of any outstanding information
or documentation that is needed in order to finalize your application.
You can log into your account at any time to check on the status of your application.
If your application is complete and accurate, your landlord will be contacted to provide
some additional information, including confirmation of the lease agreement and rental information
you have provided.
If you have any questions, please check out our website.
Thank you.