The Download: A new survey conducted by the Community Housing Improvement Program measuring the rent crisis caused by the pandemic found that New York City apartment tenants are more than $1 billion in debt from missed rent payments. This staggering figure indicates that federal stimulus packages and unemployment benefits inadequately cover the growing financial burden of unpaid rent bills across thousands of households. The Covid-19 relief package, passed in December by Congress, allocated $1.3 billion in rental assistance for New York State, though the amount reserved for New York City remains unclear.
In the coming weeks, state and city housing agencies are expected to roll out their distribution plans for assistance. In response, tenant and landlord advocacy groups have lobbied for more governmental help amid a second wave of Covid-19.