Facing eviction or foreclosure?
Apply for a $1,000 grant from the Union Members who are facing eviction or foreclosure, can now apply for a $1,000 grant from our Union’s Hotel Employees Lend a Hand Program (“H.E.L.P.”) With emergency housing protections coming to an end, the Union has put aside limited funds from our treasury to assist members who are facing dire housing emergencies. As you know, the Union has not required laid off members to pay dues during this crisis and, as a result, the pandemic has placed great strain on our emergency reserves. Therefore, emergency funds are very limited. We ask that you please do not apply unless you are facing an extreme emergency. You can apply online at hotelworkers.org/help or in-person, Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 709 8th Avenue on the 2nd Floor. You must include a copy of your final notice of eviction, eviction warrant, or notice of foreclosure as well as the information for your landlord/creditor to submit your application. Completed applications will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. If approved, a one-time $1,000 payment will be paid directly to your landlord/creditor. We will continue to help HTC-represented workers who find themselves in extreme emergencies until the funds run out. If you have questions about this program, please call (212) 245-8100 and ask to speak to Communications Assistant Yasmine Abi-Hanna, extension 2298.
Are there any protections against eviction?
At this time, there is no national eviction moratorium.
New York and New Jersey offer some protections for tenants facing eviction due to COVID-19 related financial hardships. In addition, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania all offer rental assistance programs, read more below to apply for rental assistance in your state.
New York State’s protections from eviction
New York’s eviction moratorium expired on January 15, 2022. New York State’s rent-relief portal for their Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) reopened to give aid to New Yorkers facing eviction, however the portal will close to new applications on Friday, January 20, 2023. Tenants who have applied for ERAP will have their eviction proceedings halted and will be protected from eviction while their application is being processed. Currently, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams are pushing for an increase in federal funding for the program, as funding has been exhausted in most areas of the state. Regardless of the availability of funding, all applicants are protected from eviction while their application is pending. To apply for ERAP, click here. You can also apply by calling the ERAP Hotline at 1-844-691-7364.
To be notified of future opportunities for rental assistance through New York State complete the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program- Notify Me Form.
Additionally, the Tenant Safe Harbor Act allows evicted tenants to cite COVID-19 related financial hardship as a defense in their non-payment cases, as long as they are sued for money owed between March 7, 2020 and January 15, 2022. If the tenant proves in court that they were hurt financially by COVID-19, their landlord cannot evict them for owed money that was accrued during that time period.
Eligible residents in NYC can also take advantage of free housing attorneys under the Right-to-Counsel Law passed by the NYC Council. Anyone who is facing an eviction can call 311, where they will be connected to an attorney hired through free legal service offices. Remember that almost all tenants who fight their cases with a Right-to-Counsel attorney win. For more information on how to obtain free legal representation, click here.
NYC Tenants can also call 718-557-1379 or 212-962-4795 from Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm, to get connected to a Right-To-Counsel attorney.
If a judge orders your eviction, you can ask the court for up to one year to move if you can show that you cannot find a similar apartment in the same neighborhood. The judge will consider how your life circumstances affect your ability to move, such as your health conditions, or whether you have children enrolled in school, and the hardship on the landlord if you remain.
New Jersey protections from evictions
New Jersey ended its moratorium on renter evictions on January 1st, 2022. However, there are still some eviction protections in place.
If you live in a New Jersey household with an income below 120% of your county's Area Median Income, you are permanently protected from eviction or removal at any time for nonpayment of rent, habitual late payment of rent, or failure to accept a rent increase that accrued from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021. Tenants who certify their income level, that they suffered economic hardship due to COVID-19, and that they have applied for rental assistance for which they are eligible, are protected from eviction for nonpayment of rent, habitual late payment of rent, or failure to accept a rent increase that accrued from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021.
To determine which eviction protections you are eligible for, fill out this self-certification form. In order for these protections to take effect, you must provide the required self-certification form to your landlord.
Additional protections provided by New Jersey include:
- Court records pertaining to non-payment of rent during the public health emergency must remain confidential.
- Landlords receiving rental assistance must waive any late fees accrued by tenants during the special protections period.
- Landlords cannot report delayed rent to crediting agencies and cannot sell the debt.
- Landlords cannot disclose non-payment of rent to others
- Prospective landlords may not refuse to rent to a person who wasn’t able to pay rent during the covered period of March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021 for that reason.
Additional resources
Pre-paid legal assistance for housing issues:
HTC-represented workers, who have access to pre-paid legal assistance through their union contract, can contact the Pre-Paid Legal Fund with housing issues including tenant/landlord issues, evictions, and foreclosures. This benefit is currently available to laid off members. Retirees from IWA shops are also eligible for this service. For more information call: (212) 586-6400; ext. 4258.
Additional resources for New York State residents
Apply for emergency rent relief
Although most federal funding for ERAP has been exhausted, New York State renters are still encouraged to apply for the program, as they will be protected from eviction while their application is being processed. Renters who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:
- Your household income is at or below 80% of the Area Median income
- A member of your household received unemployment benefits or a loss of income or experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 on or after March 13, 2020,
- Your household is at risk of housing instability or homelessness
- You have overdue rent for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020
Immigration status does not impact your eligibility for rental assistance.
To apply for this program click here.
Free legal services to prevent foreclosure:
The Homeowner Protection Program, is offering free housing counseling and legal services to New York Residents facing foreclosure. Call 1-855-HOME-456 or 646-786-0888 to get referred to a counselor or attorney or visit their website.
Additional resources for New York City residents
Assistance paying your rent:
New York City residents facing an eviction can apply for emergency cash grants through the New York City Human Resources Administration. To learn more about cash assistance and apply, click here.
The Human Resources Administration also connects residents to rental assistance programs in the state. To learn more about these programs, click here.
Free legal assistance for New York City residents:
If you have received an eviction notice or a warrant of eviction or motion to enforce a warrant, you can receive legal help by calling 311 and asking for the Tenant Helpline.
Additional resources for New Jersey residents
Apply for emergency rent relief:
The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program Phase II (CVERAP2) / Eviction Protection Program (EPP) portal is currently closed as funding has been exhausted. If you have not submitted a pre-application and may be in need of future rental assistance, you may submit a pre-application to be considered in the future when more funds are available, which can be found here. Completion of this application will not protect tenants from eviction while their applications are being reviewed.
Mortgage relief:
Governor Murphy recently announced the launch of the Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance Program (ERMA). The program will begin on February 8, 2022, and will provide up to $35,000 in assistance to cover mortgage arrearages and other housing cost delinquencies. Homeowners are eligible for the ERMA program if they experienced COVID-19 related financial hardship, own and occupy an eligible primary residence, and have an income at or below 150% of their county's Area Median Income. Starting February 8th at 9am, you can apply for ERMA here.
Free foreclosure and pre-foreclosure counseling:
If you are a New Jersey homeowner facing hardship, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance offers free counseling through its Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program. Read more about finding a counselor in your area here.
Free legal assistance
You can also access free legal assistance through Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ). Learn more by visiting their site, or get advice, referrals, and information through their hotline by calling 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529).
Additional resources for Pennsylvania residents
Apply for emergency rent relief
Pennsylvania has ended their eviction moratorium. Pennsylvania residents can apply for rent and utility assistance through the Pennsylvania Emergency Rental Assistance program (ERAP). To learn more and see if you are eligible for ERAP, click here. To submit an application, click here.
Homeowners who have experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic can submit an application to the Pennsylvania Homeowners Assistance Fund (PAHAF). Visit the PAHAF website to determine your eligibility and submit and application
To find legal assistance near you, click here.
Additional resources for Connecticut residents
Apply for emergency rent relief
Connecticut residents may be eligible for up to $15,000 in rent relief and up to $1,500 in electricity assistance through the UniteCT Program. For more information, and to apply, click here.
Connecticut also has an Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program (EFPP), which is designed to prevent evictions and foreclosures through mediation and a rent bank. To find out which programs are available to tenants in your region, click here.
In June of 2021, Connecticut passed a right to counsel law to provide legal representation for low-income renters facing eviction. Tenants who earn up to 80 percent of area median income have access to free legal counsel in eviction proceedings. To see if you are eligible, you can check this list published by the Department of Housing. You can also check eligibility, as well as access other free resources on this website, or by calling 1-800-559-1565.
For assistance if you are facing an eviction, call 1-844-UniteCT (1-844-864-8328) and ask to speak to an eviction specialist who can help you find resources and legal assistance.
