New York City’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is no longer taking applications. The state closed the ERAP portal on January 20, 2023, and the federal ERA2 funding that paid for the program ended on September 30, 2025, so no new assistance can be distributed.1U.S. Department of the Treasury. Emergency Rental Assistance Program OTDA’s online status tracker is also offline as of November 2025, so pending applications can’t be checked through the portal either. If you’re behind on rent in NYC now, your options sit outside ERAP, and this page walks through them.
Where to Get Rent Help in NYC Now
With ERAP closed, the U.S. Treasury directs renters and landlords to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s housing portal for available resources.1U.S. Department of the Treasury. Emergency Rental Assistance Program In New York City, a few local programs remain active.
One Shot Deal Through HRA
The NYC Human Resources Administration offers emergency grants, commonly called “One Shot Deals,” to residents at risk of losing housing or facing a utility shutoff. HRA decides eligibility case by case, looking at income, household size, the reason for the emergency, available savings, and whether you can afford your housing going forward.2ACCESS NYC. Emergency Assistance / One Shot Deal You can apply online through ACCESS HRA or in person at an HRA Benefits Access Center, and an interview is required after you file. HRA may ask you to repay some or all of the grant, and any unpaid prior grants can affect future eligibility.
CityFHEPS Vouchers
CityFHEPS is HRA’s ongoing rental voucher program, providing a monthly rent supplement rather than a one-time payment. It’s aimed primarily at households leaving shelter or at risk of homelessness. Voucher amounts and eligibility depend on household size, income, and housing situation. Contact HRA or visit a Benefits Access Center for current rules and to find out whether you qualify.
311, the CFPB Portal, and Right to Counsel
Calling 311 or visiting nyc.gov can connect you with additional local programs, including community organizations that provide emergency financial help. The CFPB’s housing page at consumerfinance.gov lists both national and local resources for renters.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Help for Renters If you’ve already been served with eviction papers, ask the court about free legal representation. NYC’s Right to Counsel program provides free lawyers to income-eligible tenants facing eviction in all five boroughs.
If Your Landlord Took ERAP Money, Some Protections May Still Apply
Landlords who accepted ERAP payments agreed to binding conditions in exchange for the funds, and some of those conditions may still be in force. By accepting the payment, the owner waived all late fees and interest on the covered arrears, agreed to keep rent at its then-current level for one year from the first ERAP payment, and agreed not to evict the tenant for a holdover or expired lease during that same year.4New York State Senate. Emergency Rental Assistance Program Starts June 1
To check whether your landlord’s obligations are still active, count one year forward from the date of the first ERAP payment on your account. If a landlord raised your rent during that window or filed an eviction case the agreement prohibits, you can raise it as a defense in housing court, and the landlord may be required to return the funds.
Tenants whose ERAP applications were approved received both the payment of back rent and this year of protection. Tenants whose applications were denied, or who never applied, don’t have those ERAP-based protections to rely on.
Eviction Cases and ERAP in 2026
While ERAP was running, filing an application triggered an automatic stay on any pending eviction case, whether for nonpayment or holdover, until OTDA made a final decision. The law also blocked landlords from starting new eviction filings against tenants with pending applications.5New York State Senate. NY State Senate Bill 2021-S500016Justia. Hudson Ave Hous Assoc LLC v Howard7New York State Law Reporting Bureau. CPM Tudor Vil LLC v Atkinson
With the program closed and all applications processed, those automatic stays are largely no longer available for new eviction cases. If you’re served with a nonpayment or holdover petition in 2026, you cannot pause the case by applying to ERAP. Your defenses now rest on the merits of the case itself, any remaining ERAP-related landlord obligations if your household received a payment, and the free legal representation available through Right to Counsel.
A Quick Note on What ERAP Was
ERAP was a federally funded program run by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance that paid landlords directly for tenants who had fallen behind on rent due to COVID-19 hardships.4New York State Senate. Emergency Rental Assistance Program Starts June 1 Approved households could receive up to 12 months of rental arrears for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020, plus up to three months of future rent for households expected to spend 30 percent or more of gross monthly income on rent, along with up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears tied to an approved rental arrears claim. Payments went straight to the landlord or utility company, never to the tenant. That’s the program that is now closed; new rent help in NYC comes through the HRA and community programs listed above.