State Senator Julia Salazar Introduces a “Relief for All” Emergency Housing bill.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 27, 2020 

Contact: sliker@nysenate.gov  / (917-719-5311)

  A10318/S8190 is a closed-loop commonsense rent relief bill that businesses, tenants, homeowners, co-ops, not for profits, and landlords can all get behind. New Yorkers need a solution with no losses, no loans, and every rent paid.

Brooklyn, NY-State Senator Julia Salazar introduced legislation this week to address the economic hardship on New York tenants, homeowners, small businesses, and not-for-profit affordable housing providers, caused by the COVID-19 public emergency.

The Emergency Coronavirus Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2020, is a Relief for All bill that aims to protect and preserve affordable housing and small businesses in New York. The ECAHPA provides state and federally funded relief during this emergency period, for New Yorkers who have lost income, or are struggling financially, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Sen Salazar’s bill, sponsored in the assembly by AM- Lentol, provides security for property owners and affordable housing providers to ensure that safe, sanitary, affordable housing remains available for New Yorkers. 

The ECAHPA is the most comprehensive legislative proposal, addressing the impact of the COVID-19 public emergency on housing and small businesses. The provisions offer immediate financial relief to residential and small commercial tenants and small property owners, while also providing financial resources to property owners to guarantee that New York State's affordable housing stock remains safe and in good repair. 

Senator Salazar also introduced another bill, a “Rent Freeze” bill that would protect rent-stabilized tenants with one year leases from facing rent increases during this emergency period.

“New Yorkers are facing down an unprecedented crisis, and we need an unprecedented response. By passing Relief For All, we can preserve affordable housing, while keeping families in their homes and businesses afloat. With no home left behind, and every rent paid, this is a unity bill that meets the needs of this moment.” 

- State Senator Julia Salazar.

“ New York State faces unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many New Yorkers losing their income and facing economic uncertainty, we must enact bold solutions in order to provide stability and security during these difficult times. This starts with providing relief for tenants, homeowners, small businesses, and not-for-profit affordable housing providers. I’m proud to join Senator Julia Salazar as a sponsor of the Emergency Coronavirus Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 2020 (A10318) in the Assembly because the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of many New Yorkers and we must do all we can to restore stability in their lives. Stable housing means stable lives and the ECAHPA will go a long way to provide necessary relief for all New Yorkers,” 

- Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol.

"Tenants are in crisis right now. An eviction moratorium is simply not enough to protect them, especially poor people of color. We desperately need legislation that cancels rent. The Emergency Coronavirus Affordable Housing Preservation Act addresses the needs of New Yorkers because it leaves no home behind. It lifts the burden of this crisis off the backs of tenants who simply cannot pay rent and places it squarely on the government -- where it belongs -- to help all those affected by the pandemic's devastating impacts on housing. Communities Resist is proud to have worked with Senator Salazar, Assembly Member Lentol, and our community partners on this bill. We're very grateful to the Senator and Assembly Member for introducing it and leading the way forward."

Shekar Krishnan, Attorney & Chief Program Officer, Communities Resist.   

“Southside United Housing (Los Sures) enthusiastically  supports the Emergency Coronavirus Affordable Housing Preservation Act being introduced by Senator Julia Salazar in the NY State Senate and Assemblyman Joseph Lentol in the NY State Assembly. By providing rent relief for tenants impacted by the pandemic, it will enable non-profits like ours to continue maintaining and improving affordable housing in our community.  As a well as managing hundreds of low-income housing units, we also work with many low-income HDFC cooperatives where collection of monthly maintenance is crucial to being able to provide basic services.  This bill will go a long way toward keeping New Yorkers in affordable housing.”

Barbara Schliff, Dir. Housing Resources, Los Sures.

"RiseBoro Community Partnership is proud to support the Emergency Coronavirus Affordable Housing Preservation Act," said Scott Short, CEO. "As a provider of affordable housing for thousands of low-income tenants, RiseBoro sees the financial hardship being caused by the coronavirus in our communities firsthand. We also know that it is impossible to operate and maintain affordable housing without consistent rent payment. I believe the bill put forth by Senator Salazar and Assemblymember Lentol strikes the right balance of relief for struggling tenants and protection for critical affordable housing assets."

Riseboro Executive Director Scott Short.