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May 13, 2020
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May 13, 2020
Changes to
NYC Housing Programs
& Systems
May 13, 2020
Welcome!
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Housekeeping
• Choose one audio: Computer or Phone.
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box.
o Q&A will take place at specific points
throughout the presentation and at the
end.
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of attendees.
May 13, 2020
Today’s Webinar is Brought to You by
Community Service Society of NY (CSS)o Agency’s COVID-19 Resources:
https://www.cssny.org/news/c/covid-19-resources
o Benefits Plus Learning Center, a program of
CSS
▪ COVID-19 Comprehensive Guides:
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May 13, 2020
Presenter
Yvonne Peña
Project Director, Benefits Plus Learning Center
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May 13, 2020
NYS Eviction Moratorium
• Suspension of Eviction Cases & Warrants of
Evictions
o For both residential and commercial tenants.
o In NYC, all marshals have been notified they cannot
execute warrants.
▪ Witnessing an Eviction: report it to the Department of
Investigation Bureau of City Marshals at (212) 825-
5953.
May 13, 2020
NYS Eviction Moratorium
• March 20th Executive Order, 202.8
o For both residential and commercial tenants for 90
days.
• May 7th Executive Order, 202.28
o 60-day extension until August 20th, 2020, for both
residential and commercial tenants who are:▪ Eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state
or federal law; or,
▪ Otherwise facing a financial hardship due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
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NYS Eviction Moratorium & Rent
• Although eviction cases are suspended, tenants
are still responsible for rent.
• Rent increases can still happen.
o Regulated Housing: at lease renewal
o Unregulated Housing: minimum of 30 days’ notice
(up to 90 days) for increases of 5% or more
• There are no:
o Rent Suspension/Cancellations/Forgiveness
o Rent Freezes
May 13, 2020
NYS Eviction Moratorium & Rent
• May 7th Executive Order, 202.28
o Residential tenants can request the use of their security
deposit (and any interest accrued) to pay rent arrears or
rent that will become due.
▪ For residential tenants who are:
Eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or federal
law; or,
Otherwise facing a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
▪ Any security deposit that is used as payment of rent by the tenant
will have to be paid back as additional rent per month at a rate of
1/12 of the amount used.
Pay back of the security deposit will start 90 days from date of use.
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NYS Eviction Moratorium & Rent
• May 7th Executive Order, 202.28
o Landlords cannot charge or demand late fees for missed
or late rent payments that occur during March 20th through
August 20th, 2020.
May 13, 2020
Federal Eviction Moratorium & Rent
• The CARES Act included a federal eviction
moratorium for tenants living in “covered dwellings”
in “covered properties,” which includes:o Public Housing
o Section 8 Voucher and Project-Based housing
o Section 202 housing for the elderly
o Section 811 housing for people with disabilities
• The federal moratorium took effect on March 27th,
2020 and extends for 120 days (July 24th, 2020).
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Federal Eviction Moratorium & Rent
• Tenants of these covered properties are still
responsible for rent.
o Landlords cannot charge fees, penalties, or other fees
related to nonpayment of rent.
• A landlord of a covered property may not evict a tenant
after the moratorium expires except on 30 days’ notice,
which may not be given until after the moratorium
period.
• For more information, including a comprehensive list of
covered properties, click here.
May 13, 2020
Federal Eviction Moratorium
• If a renter lives in a property with five or more units that is
financed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or lives in some
other multifamily housing that has a federally-backed
mortgage loan, the renter may be protected from eviction for
the same period, March 27th – July 24th, 2020.
o To find out if a property is financed by Fannie Mae, visit the Fannie
Mae Renters Resource Finder.
o To find out if a property is financed by Freddie Mac, visit the Freddie
Mac Rental Property Lookup.
o For all other multifamily housing, visit the National Low Income
Housing Coalition searchable database.
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NYC Housing Court
• The Court is not accepting filings of new actions
or proceedings, except for essential/emergency
proceedings.
• Tenants can file ‘essential proceedings’ for:
o Illegal lockouts
o Serious housing code violations
▪ For example, no heat or hot water.
o Emergency repairs orders
May 13, 2020
NYC Housing Court
• Parties do not have to go to a courthouse to start
or to appear for an essential proceeding.
o Starting a Case
▪ Call or email the clerk in the county:
https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/nyc/housing/
▪ Call Housing Court Answers at 212-962-4795.
▪ JustFix.nyc's Emergency HP Action tool.
o Appearing in a Case
▪ Most likely through remote appearance using Skype.
▪ Instructions on how to appear by Skype
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NYC Housing Court
• Housing Courts in all boroughs have relocated
where filings take place.
o For temporary Courthouse relocations, visit:
https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/nyc/civil/temp_clos
e.shtml.
• Virtual Help Center
o Court attorneys answer questions and provide
information about NYC Housing Court.
▪ Bronx/Manhattan: 646-386-5554 or 646-386-5555
▪ Brooklyn/Queens/Staten Island: 718-262-7185 or 718-
262-7186
May 13, 2020
NYC Housing Court
• Generally, non-essential housing court
appearances have been adjourned (postponed).
o Parties will receive a postcard of new court date.
o However, the Court has begun hearing selected
non-essential cases via Skype.
▪ Parties/attorneys in those cases will hear directly from
the court.
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May 13, 2020
COVID-19: Changes to NYC Housing
Programs & Systems
Q&A
May 13, 2020
Rental Subsidies/Housing Programs
• CITYFHEPS
• SCRIE/DRIE
• NYCHA
• Section 8
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Rental Subsidies/Housing Programs
• CITYFHEPS
o Rent subsidy for households not eligible for State
FHEPS who are in shelter or at risk of entering shelter
and income is at 200% FPL.
• Recipient Households
o HRA is still processing and issuing rental payments.
o Automatic renewals for all eligible households; no need
to reapply.
May 13, 2020
CITYFHEPS• Shopping Letters
o Expiration dates for households in shelter are being
extended.
o In Receipt of Shopping Letters▪ Households in receipt of shopping letters due to employment will
keep their shopping letter regardless of loss of employment or
reduction in hours.
o Not In Receipt of Shopping Letters▪ Households that lost employment due to COVID-19 but would
have otherwise been eligible for shopping letters can submit
unemployment information to HRA/DHS to receive a shopping
letter.
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CITYFHEPS
• Virtual apartment viewing and walk-through
process:
o Clients can view apartments.
o HRA/DHS can complete an apartment walk-
through with brokers or landlords.
May 13, 2020
Rental Subsidies/Housing Programs
• SCRIE/DRIE
o Rent increase protection for low-income seniors
and people with disabilities in eligible housing.
• In NYC, SCRIE/DRIE is administered by:
o NYC Dept. of Finance (DOF)
▪ SCRIE and DRIE
o NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation &
Development (HPD)
▪ SCRIE
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SCRIE/DRIE
• NYC Dept. of Finance (DOF)
o Automated SCRIE cancellations are suspended for
failure to respond or submit SCRIE related
documents.
o Individuals should continue to apply, but eligibility
determinations are taking longer than usual.
o DOF’s FAQ’s.
May 13, 2020
SCRIE/DRIE
• NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation &
Development (HPD)
o Accepting questions and documents via email at
o Processing renewals and new applications.
▪ If delayed, HPD will issue retroactive SCRIE
payments on behalf of seniors determined to be
eligible for the program.
o HPD’s Resources & Service Updates
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Rental Subsidies/Housing Programs
• NYCHA
o NYC’s public housing program for low-income
tenants where rent is typically 30% of household
income.
• Evictions are suspended for as long as the City is
under a state of emergency.
o Also covered under the Federal eviction
moratorium of the CARES Act.
May 13, 2020
NYCHA
• Customer Contact Centers (CCC) remain closed.
• Management Offices have suspended direct
contact meetings, except for scheduled
appointments.
o Tenants can schedule an appointment by calling
their Management Office directly.
o Otherwise, staff should be assisting residents via
telephone and email.
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NYCHA
• NYCHA’s Office of Impartial Hearings remains
closed until NYS “Stay at Home” Order is lifted
for NYC.
o All hearings and conferences are adjourned;
parties will receive letters with their new dates.
o For any questions, call 718-218-1182 or 718-218-
1184.
May 13, 2020
NYCHA
• Emergency maintenance repairs are still being
performed.
o See NYCHA’s FAQ’s for what constitutes
“emergency” repairs.
o Residents can call the CCC at 718-707-7771 or
use the MyNYCHA app to request a repair.
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NYCHA
• Rent Hardship Program
o Households experiencing loss of income can
request a rent reduction if all the following are met:
▪ There is at least a 5% reduction to gross income
▪ Current rent is more than 30% of household income
▪ Reduction in income has lasted at least 2 months
o Complete an Interim Recertification
▪ On the NYCHA Self-Service Portal at
https://selfserve.nycha.info/.
Step-by-step Instructions here.
▪ Contacting their Property Management Office
May 13, 2020
NYCHA
• Zero Income Policy
o Households that experience a complete loss of
income may qualify for NYCHA’s Zero Income
Policy.
o Residents should contact their Property
Management Office to participate in an eligibility
interview.
• NYCHA’s Guidance on Rent Hardships
• NYCHA COVID-19 Resources and FAQ’s.
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Rental Subsidies/Housing Programs
• Section 8
o Federal housing subsidy for low-income tenants where
rent is typically 30% of household income.
• In NYC, Section 8 has 3 local public housing
authorities:
o NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)
o NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD)
o NYCHA
• Federal eviction moratorium under CARES Act
covers Section 8 tenants.
May 13, 2020
Section 8
• HCR
o Client Services Center remains closed.
▪ All appointments are being conducted by telephone
or email.
▪ Recipients can call their case manager or 212-480-
6672.
o Housing Quality Standard Inspections for:
▪ New or relocating households
▪ Immediate health & safety complaints
o HCR Program Notices
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Section 8
• HCR
o NYC office has not explicitly indicated the
information below, but State HCR offered this in
their guidance to all HCR Section 8 administrators:
▪ Suspension of terminations.
▪ Automatic extension of at least 60 days for
households with vouchers searching for housing.
▪ Timely and accessible interim recertifications for
households with loss of income.
▪ Hearings scheduled through 6/15/2020 should be
postponed.
May 13, 2020
Section 8
• HPD
o Client Services Center remains closed.
o Terminations are suspended.
o Appeals hearings are cancelled.
▪ HPD will continue to pay subsidy until final
determinations are made.
o Scheduled tenant conferences and briefings are
postponed and will be rescheduled.
o Non-emergency Housing Quality Standard
inspections are suspended.
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Section 8
• HPD
o Vouchers will automatically renew.
o Automatic extension for households with an active
voucher to search for housing.
o Rent hardship due to loss of income:
▪ Reporting Income Decrease form (Spanish) and
email to [email protected] or fax to
212-863-5299.
o HPD Section 8 COVID-19 Notices
May 13, 2020
Section 8
• NYCHAo Customer Contact Centers remain closed.
o Terminations are suspended while NYC is under state
of emergency, or for at least 60 days from March 17th.
▪ Includes terminations for annual recertifications,
inspections, and fraud.
o Eligibility interviews and informal conferences are being
conducted over the phone.
o Rents are still subject to increase following annual or
interim recertifications.
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Section 8
• NYCHA
o Households experiencing loss of income should
complete an Interim Recertification:
▪ On the NYCHA Self-Service Portal at
https://selfserve.nycha.info/.
Step-by-step Instructions here.
▪ Contact CCC at [email protected]
o Households experiencing complete loss of income
may qualify for NYCHA’s Minimum Rent exemption.
▪ NYCHA will automatically apply as appropriate.
May 13, 2020
Section 8
• NYCHA
o Inspections are taking place for failed, complaint,
rental, and lead-based paint inspections only.
o Transfer requests are being processed; however,
there are delays.
o Addresses to mail in documents for households
without internet access can be found here.
o NYCHA COVID-19 Resources and FAQ’s.
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May 13, 2020
COVID-19: Changes to NYC Housing
Programs & Systems
Q&A
May 13, 2020
Shelters
• Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing (PATH)
and Adult Family Intake Center (AFIC) no longer require
children to be physically present to apply for shelter.
• Follow-up appointments and interviews are being
conducted over the phone.
• Clients can take pictures of documents with their phones,
or fax or email documents.
• The Income Savings Plan (ISP) requirement has been
suspended.
• DHS COVID-19 documents
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Experiencing/At Risk of Homelessness
• Coalition for the Homeless
o 212-776-2177
• Covenant House (Shelter for youth, 16-21 year old.)
o 212-613-0300, x.5212
• Homebase
o Offices are closed; available by phone.
• HRA
o “One Shot Deals” on Access HRA.
• Housing Court Answers
o 212-962-4795
May 13, 2020
Homeowners
• NYS Foreclosure Moratoriumo March 20th Executive Order, 202.8
▪ For any residential or commercial property for 90 days.
o May 7th Executive Order, 202.28
▪ 60-day extension until August 20th, 2020 for both
residential and commercial properties owned or rented by
someone who is: Eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or
federal law; or,
Otherwise facing a financial hardship due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
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Homeowners
• The CARES Act provides certain relief for federally-
backed mortgages.
o Foreclosure Moratorium
▪ For a period of 60 days (until May 17th).
o Right to Request Forbearance▪ Forbearance can mean a lower payment amount or pausing
payments altogether for up to 180 days, and an extension for another
180 days.
▪ The mortgage payment will still be owed, but the servicer cannot
charge additional fees, penalties or additional interest during the
forbearance period.
▪ Homeowners should contact their loan servicer if experiencing a
financial hardship due to the pandemic.
▪ Do not need to submit additional documentation to qualify.
May 13, 2020
Homeowners
• Federally-backed Mortgageso Fannie Mae
o Freddie Mac
o FHA-insured single-family mortgages
o US Department of Veterans Affairs
o US Department of Housing Urban Development
o US Department of Agriculture
o To find out the type of loan:
▪ Making Home Affordable
▪ Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS)
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Homeowners
• If not a federally-backed mortgage, contact your
loan servicer for available options.
o NYS Dept. of Financial Services issued a directive
to NYS mortgage servicers to provide 90-day
mortgage relief to borrowers impacted by the
pandemic.
May 13, 2020
Homeowners
• Mortgage Resources
o Access foreclosure prevention assistance from
Center for NYC Neighborhoods.
o Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
▪ Guide to Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Options
▪ Homeowner’s Guide to Success: What to do if you
can’t pay your mortgage
o NYS Department of Financial Services
▪ Coronavirus Information: Mortgage and Foreclosure
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Homeowners
• NYC Property Taxes
o Still due.
o Department of Finance (DOF) offers programs to
assist property owners who are facing hardships.
▪ Property Tax and Interest Deferral (PT AID) program
▪ Payment Plans
▪ Tax Exemptions and Abatements
o DOF Service Changes
May 13, 2020
Utilities
• ConEdison
o No shut-off service for nonpayment
o Waiving late payment fees
• National Grid
o No service disconnections
o Stopped collections activity
o Will not charge interest or penalties for late
payments
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Utilities
• Phone and Internet
o Most U.S. Internet and phone companies have
agreed to suspend service terminations and will
waive late fees related to the coronavirus
pandemic.
▪ Click here for a listing of participating providers.
o Free Internet for new accounts for households with
students
▪ Spectrum (844-579-3743; 844-488-8395)
▪ Altice Advantage-Optimum (855-200-9522)
May 13, 2020
Get Help
• 311
• Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants
• NYC’s Tenant Support Unit
• Right to Counsel Coalition
o FAQ on Eviction Moratorium
o FAQ on Inability to Pay Rent
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Get Help
• Housing Legal Advice
o Goddard Law Project (212) 799-9638, x0
o Housing Conservation Coordinators (212) 541-5996,
Monday’s 7-9 pm
o Legal Services NYC (917) 661-4509
o NMIC Housing Legal Services at (929) 512-4565,
Wednesday’s 9am-12pm.
o NYLAG (929) 356-9582, Monday – Friday, 10am-1pm.
o PALANTE Harlem, Inc. (212) 491-2541
o Take Root Justice Housing Hotline (646) 459-3022
May 13, 2020
Today’s Materials
• Available for download:
oPDF of PowerPoint slides
with links
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May 13, 2020
COVID-19: Changes to NYC Housing
Programs & Systems
Benefits Plus Learning Center’s
Comprehensive COVID-19
Resource Guides:https://bplc.cssny.org/benefit_tools/15
o Impact on Public Benefits
o What Workers Need to Know
o Navigating Essential Services
o Navigating Every Day Activities
May 13, 2020
COVID-19: Changes to NYC Housing
Programs & Systems
Q&A
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May 13, 2020
COVID-19: Changes to NYC Housing
Programs & Systems
Contact Us
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