New Application Period Now Open
for State Rent Relief Program
Low-income residents affected by COVID-19 pandemic eligible under expanded criteria
Another application period has been opened and eligibility criteria has been expanded for a one-time rent subsidy through New York State’s COVID Rent Relief Extension Program for low-income Dutchess County residents.
The expanded eligibility criteria include:
- Must be a renter and have a primary residence in New York State;
- Applicants must have lost income during the period of April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020;
- Before March 7, 2020, household income must have been at or below 80% of the Area Median Income, adjusted for household size; and
- Households must be “rent burdened” during the months they are applying for assistance between April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020.
The new application period is open through Monday, February 1st. Applicants will not need to repay the assistance and the program is not first come, first served. Approved subsidies will be paid directly to the applicant’s landlord. Applications will be accepted throughout the open period and eligible households will be prioritized by “greatest economic and social need.” Residents who have previously applied do not need to reapply; the State will re-evaluate all applications that were denied according to the new criteria and issue revised determination letters to past applicants.
Detailed information about the program and its requirements are available on the State’s Rental Relief Program website.
County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Residents continue to experience economic hardships as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with countless residents losing their jobs, making it much more difficult to pay their monthly rent. This program has already helped many families, and we appreciate Albany’s reopening the application process and broadening the eligibility criteria to help keep even more residents in Dutchess County, and statewide, in their homes.”
The subsidy for eligible applicants will be calculated as the difference between the household’s rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the household’s rent burden during the months of April, May, June and July of 2020. For applicants who were not considered rent burdened on March 1, 2020, the subsidy will be calculated to bring them to the 30 percent rent burden threshold.
Throughout the application period, applicants can contact the State’s COVID Rent Relief Extension Program Call Center for assistance at 1-833-499-0318 or email covidrentrelief@hcr.ny.
