Yonkers Partners with Local Community-Based Organizations in Granting $5.9 Million in First Round of Rental Assistance Program
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the City of Yonkers has already authorized the release of approximately $1.5 of the $5.9 million allocated in its first round of the Yonkers Emergency Rental Assistance Program (Y-ERAP). The City launched the program in June to aid Yonkers residents with their payments of back rent, prospective rent, utilities and potentially relocation expenses due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yonkers is expected to grant a total of $14.5 million in aid through September 2022, from funds received from the U.S. Department of Treasury under the American Rescue Plan.
Yonkers works in collaboration with local community-based organizations, specifically Cluster Community Services, The Bridge Fund of Westchester, Inc., Westchester Residential Opportunities, Catholic Charities and Westhab, in distributing the funds. Since June, the community-based organizations have received over 2,500 inquiries, and serviced nearly 1,000 households. The average assistance provided to households is $12,500.
“Yonkers is proud to help struggling renters who have been impacted by the economic fallout of the pandemic,” said Mayor Spano. “More than anyone, we know how to best serve our local tenants and landlords and connect them to our local nonprofits who are the ‘boots on the ground’ with those in need. By processing the Rental Assistance program locally, we have been able to ensure our residents are part of the city’s economic recovery as soon as possible.”
later this month, when another $8.6 million becomes available from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Residents can access information on eligibility requirements, program resources and begin the application process at www.yonkersny.gov/yerap.
Those eligible for the Yonkers Emergency Rental Assistance Program must have suffered a reduction of income or unemployment due to COVID-19, owe back rent beginning after March 20, 2020 and face homelessness or housing insecurity in 2021.
Eligibility includes:
Resident of Yonkers, AND
An obligation to pay rent, AND
You or a household member that has been financially affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, AND
Experienced or are at risk of housing instability, AND
Your household is at or below 80% of area’s median income
Prioritization to households:
· with incomes less than 50% of area median income or
· households with one or more individuals that have not been employed for the 90-day period preceding the date of application.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013-2017 American Communities Survey reported that there were 133,154 renter-occupied households in Westchester County, including 39,197 in Yonkers. It is estimated that 31,557 renter households in Westchester and 9,290 in Yonkers believe they are at imminent risk of eviction.
