YONKERS – Mayor Mike Spano, Tuesday, 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 Washington 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.
The city is expected to open the second round of assistance later this month, when another $8.6 million becomes available from the U.S. Government.
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.
