Nassau County tenants suffering financially from the pandemic can tap into a $6 million rent relief program, officials announced Tuesday.
The program will be administered by the affordable housing nonprofit Community Development Corporation of Long Island. It will provide relief using federal emergency grants for up to 900 tenants in the form of direct payments to landlords for up to three months of back rent, according to Newsday. Renters comprise about 20 percent of Nassau County residents.
Applicants must have been in lease agreements that began before the pandemic and be able to show they lost income in order to qualify for up to $3,700 for three consecutive months of unpaid rent. In addition, their annual earnings must be at or under 80 percent of Nassau County’s area median income for their household size.
The program aims to lessen the “significant burden and the stress” on both landlords and tenants as a result of Covid-19, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran stated in announcing the program, Newsday reported.
Tenants can begin applying Jan. 6.
[Newsday] — Raji Pandya