Last updated on June 26th, 2024
While much of society has moved beyond COVID, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) continue feeling its impact.
A delay in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) disbursements in New York exasperated the issue, but now it seems that funds are moving and helping with accounts receivables. This appears to have a leveling off effect on eviction cases filed. However, other recent announcements from HUD may indicate the struggles aren’t completely in the rearview mirror.
According to New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, as of January 26, 2023, the number of applications for:
- ERAP applications for rent arrears, prospective rent, and utility arrears: 405,605
- State-Funded ERAP for Over 80 Area Median Income (AMI): 6,872
- LRAP applications: 55,009
The number of applications paid May 28, 2024:
- ERAP for rent arrears and prospective rent: 306,667 applications paid in the amount of $3.49 billion
- ERAP for utility arrears: 121,069 applications paid in the amount of $145 million
- State-Funded ERAP for Over 80 AMI: 4,404 applications paid in the amount of $50 million
- LRAP: 29,792 applications paid amounting to $298 million
(To see data by county or jurisdiction, as well as demographic information, click here.)
New York’s Statewide Landlord-Tenant Eviction Dashboard indicates that as of June 17, 2024 there were over 86,000 eviction filings for the year. Monthly data indicates a potential easing; we’ll know more when June’s month-end numbers are available.
There has also been a flurry of Federal and state legislative activity that seems to go back and forth between making things easier on PHAs and more challenging.
In December 2023, HUD proposed a rule requiring a 30-day notice period prior to starting eviction proceedings related to termination of a lease.
In April 2024, the state enacted the Good Cause Eviction Law, limiting evictions, requiring lease renewals, and capping rent increases, although municipalities outside of NYC must opt in.
In April 2024, HUD published a notice to extend its 2022 adjustment for assessing Tenant Accounts Receivable (TAR) in the Public Housing Assessment System with fiscal year ends up to December 31, 2023. However, the notice also indicates “HUD intends to return to the regular scoring methodology for HUD for PHAs with fiscal years ending in 2024.”
On May 7, 2024, HUD issued a final rule on HOTMA Housing Choice Voucher and Project Based Voucher implementation that simplify and clarify existing regulatory language and reduce the burden on PHAs.
On May 14, 2024, HUD announced the renewal of funding for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, with over $3.3 billion going to New York Housing Authorities.
On June 14, 2024, NSPIRE V Compliance was pushed back a year to October 1, 2025.
While you’re no doubt busy keeping up with all of this activity, we just want to remind you that RBT CPAs is here to support all of your accounting, audit, advisory, and tax needs. Give us a note or drop us a line any time to find out how we can be Remarkably Better Together.