from the Actors Fund: Apply NOW for NY Rent Relief Program

Housing Resource Center Updates We wanted to share these important housing updates. If you'd prefer not to receive these e-mails, please click unsubscribe at the bottom of this email.   NYS COVID Rent Relief Program   Overview & Eligibility Application Submission Deadline: Thursday, July 30, 2020 Applications Now Open for NYS Rent Relief Program!   Application Process: New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has opened the application process for the COVID Rent Relief Program. The new program will provide rental assistance to tenants throughout New York State. Eligible households will benefit from a one-time rental subsidy paid directly to landlords. Tenants are not required to repay this assistance. Please note the application period is open through July 30. This program is not providing assistance on a first come, first served basis. Applications can be submitted at any point during the two week time frame. To qualify, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements: Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household income must have been below 80% of the area median income, adjusted for household size. You can find your county's area median income, based on your household size here.  Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, the household must have been paying more than 30% of gross monthly income towards rent. Gross income includes wages as well as any cash grants, child support, social security, unemployment benefits, etc. Applicants must have lost income during the period of April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020. The FAQ might be helpful to better understand eligibility criteria, application evaluation, and how the amount of rental assistant will be determined. The website has been overwhelmed by traffic and is already experiencing issues. HCR has created a dedicated call center to provide residents with help Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Call the COVID Rent Relief Program Call Center at 1-833-499-0318 or email at covidrentrelief@hcr.ny.gov   NEW Seminar Housing Connect 2.0 Tutorial  We're pleased to offer a new seminar on NYC Housing Connect 2.0, the new online system for applying for all affordable housing lotteries and now that includes home-ownership, re-rental, and re-sale opportunities. Unfortunately, applicants will need to create a brand new profile to apply through 2.0. We know change can be daunting, so we've designed a smart tutorial to help applicants navigate the new system, understand important changes to the process, and show participants how to set up a new profile so they can start to apply.   Housing Connect 2.0 Tutorial Tuesday, July 28th, 2020 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm RSVP via Eventbrite To check out all of our HRC offerings, please click below.  RSVP    News NYC Rent Stabilized Apartments Get a Rent Freeze  The NYC Rent Guidelines Board approved a rent freeze (no rent increases) on stabilized apartments for a year. The board voted  on freezing rents on one-year leases and the first year of two-year leases signed on/after October 1st, 2020. During the second year of two-year leases, rent would increase 1%. Keep in mind that all new apartments through the affordable lotteries are also rent stabilized. For more information on the rent guidelines, click here.    Resources One-on-One Assistance with NYC Housing Connect NYC Housing Connect is an online portal for New York City affordable housing lotteries. The Housing Resource Center provides one-on-one technical assistance with NYC Housing Connect 1.0 and 2.0 via Zoom. To schedule a consultation, please email housing@actorsfund.org, subject line: "Assistance with NYC Housing Connect" Prerequisite: You must have attended seminars on Applying for Affordable Housing in NYC and Housing Connect 2.0 The Actors Fund Online Housing Bulletin Board Looking for a room to rent? Need a sublet? Want a roommate? Connect with other industry professionals that can help you meet your housing needs. Check out actorsfund.org/bulletinboard.   View Bulletin Board You can always check our website for more information and resources. Stay tuned for more affordable housing updates coming soon.