Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams jointly announced on the 20th that their goal is to resolveNew York Citygovernment buildingThe New York State Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) has delivered its first relief payments of $95 million to address rent arrears with approximately 15,000 beneficiaries.Low incomeFamily.
Rental revenue from government buildings accounts for one-third of NYCHA’s total operating budget. After the pandemic, rent arrears more than tripled. However, according to guidance from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), public housing management agencies cannot help needy residents waive rent at will. Therefore, ERAP funds play a vital role in alleviating the city’s problems and the financial pressures on both the housing authority and low-income tenants. According to data released by the city government, a total of 73,000 households living in government buildings in New York City currently owe rent, the total amount of rent arrears reached 533 million yuan.
In this fiscal year, the New York State government received a total of $391 million for the ERAP project, of which more than $350 million will be subsidized to government building tenants in New York City. The amount of 95 million yuan announced this time is the first subsidy to be received.
Adams said the city team has so far helped 33,000 families submit applications worth $128 million. He said he experienced near-homelessness himself growing up and knows how important it is to help maintain basic housing needs for families in financial need. Huo Chu said that everything is getting better after the epidemic, but the crisis is still there for many unemployed people living in government buildings, as the rent arrears keep increasing, which makes the financial situation and living conditions of some people difficult. The situation is becoming unbalanced. It got worse, which is why the state government spent this money.
In response to these problems, Huo Chu made two commitments: one is to help needy families reduce the urgent need for housing costs, and the other is to continue to strengthen a comprehensive and far-reaching investment plan in the public housing system.
This city-state cooperative assistance program has been strongly advocated by elected officials in lower Manhattan such as State Representative Grace Lee and State Senator Brian Kavanaugh. Rongen Li said she knows many residents in the constituency who are in hardship, “who have to make difficult choices between paying rent or burying loved ones, buying food or paying medical bills.” As elected officials it is our responsibility to provide safe, affordable, decent housing for all New Yorkers.
New York(TagstoTranslate)Government Building(T)Low Income(T)New York City
