Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins Holds Tenants’ Rights Forum with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley

(Yonkers, NY) – Following the passage of the strongest anti-eviction law in the nation, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins is working to ensure residents know the eviction moratorium has been extended through August 31, 2021 for individuals facing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

The Majority Leader is sponsoring a free Tenants’ Rights Forum remotely on Facebook and Zoom on Thursday, May 27th at 6:00 p.m. in partnership with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. The forum will be led by attorneys at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley who will go over with residents how the financial hardship declaration form process works. Residents will then be able to ask questions at the end.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “The extension of the eviction moratorium and the $2.4 billion that I allocated to rental assistance through the State budget are life-lines to help residents not lose their home, while trying to get back on their feet. I encourage New Yorker’s to join this forum, and thank Legal Services of the Hudson Valley for working with me to ensure an informative discussion, in which residents will learn about vital resources available to them.”

“Knowing your rights as a tenant is more important now than ever before with all of the changes due to COVID-19,” said Rachel Halperin, CEO, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. “We are so grateful to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her attention to this matter and partnering with us to provide this important information and forum for tenants.”

Attorneys will also discuss how residents qualify for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which the Majority Leader allocated $2.4 billion to through this year’s State budget. The program prioritizes low-income residents who have faced financial hardship due to the pandemic or housing instability and can offer up to 12 months of rent and utility debt assistance accrued on or after March 13, 2020. The program also can provide an additional three months of future rental assistance to households who dedicate 30 percent or more of their monthly income toward rent.