The information provided on this site, does not, and is not intended to constitute legal advice. All content, suggestion and material available on this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
If you owe money to your landlord, or are unable to continue paying your rent, this article is for you. You may be eligible for rental assistance with HRA, which could potentially cover the full rental arrears, and may even help pay part or your full rent going forward.
Let’s dig through these three programs and check out their differences and criteria:
Am I eligible to receive a One Shot Deal (OSD) Rental Assistance?
A One Shot deal is a sum of money that HRA pays directly to your landlord to cover your rental arrears. Be aware that One Shot Deals may have to be repaid, so this is NOT considered free money you do not have to reimburse.
One Shot Deals approvals are at HRA’s discretion. In other terms, you are NOT entitled to a One-Shot deal even if you believe you meet all the criteria. HRA may and has the authority to deny your application, and there is no process to appeal it. What you are entitled to, however, is a “timely” decision.
Note that the higher the rental arrears, the lesser the chances that your application will be approved.
When applying for a One Shot Deal you have to:
1: Prove that you have future ability to pay your rent going forward: You have to prove that your income is significantly above your share of the rent. HRA will only approve a One Shot Deal if they believe that, should they pay the full back rent, the beneficiary will NOT fall back into arrears. To this end, before approving a One Shot Deal, HRA will make sure that the applicant has enough income to cover their portion of the rent and access basic needs, such as food, utility bills, etc…
Supportive evidence showing future ability can be, but not limited to:
Paystubs for the last 30 days
Job offer letter
Social Security Award Letter
Child Support order
etc…
2: Explain and justify the reasons surrounding your failure to pay rent: HRA would not approve this grant without a valid reason justifying the back rent. Seems fair, no? If you stopped paying rent to save money to tour the world, your One Shot Deal application will likely be denied.
However, your application will have more chances to go through, if you are able to show that you fell behind because you lost your job, or had to take extended sick leave and incurred significant medical bills as a result.
Supportive evidence showing financial hardships can be, but not limited to:
Termination letter
medical bills
self-statement explaining hardships
etc…
3: Have no money available to pay the back rent: If you have savings, or other valuable assets, your One Shot Deal application will most likely be denied, because you are theoretically able to pay the back rent (or at least part of it) with the money you already have.
How to apply for a OSD? Apply for a One Shot Deal directly at an HRA Benefits Access Center or you can apply online.
Am I eligible to receive FHEPS Rental Assistance?
The Family Homeless and Eviction Prevention Supplement, or FHEPS, is a rental subsidy program that helps some low-income families pay ongoing rent. FHEPS can also repay rental arrears up to $20,000.
To receive FHEPS, you have to meet all following criteria:
Have an active Public Assistance case with no sanction
Have a minor in the household (17yrs or younger or 18 if full time student in high school, or equivalent (ex: GED))
Have a right to be in the residence (Have a current lease, live in a rent-stabilized apartment, or have a written authorization from the landlord or tenant of record to stay in the premises)
Have a rent at or below the FHEPS payment standards
For more information on FHEPS, and how to apply check this out
Am I eligible to receive CityFHEPS Rental Assistance?
CityFHEPS is a rental subsidy program that helps some low income individuals or families pay ongoing rent. It may also grant a lump sum to help repay rental arrears, but may have to be reimbursed.
To receive CityFHEPS, you have to meet all following criteria:
Currently staying or have stayed in the past in a DHS shelter, be a veteran, have an active APS case or stay in a rent controlled apartment
Have an income at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Level
Have an active Public Assistance case with no sanction, if eligible
Have a right to be in the residence (Have a current lease, live in a rent-stabilized apartment, or have a written authorization from the landlord or tenant of record to stay in the premises)
Have a rent at or below the CityFHEPS payment standards
For more information on CityFHEPS, and how to apply check this out
If you are being sued by your landlord for Nonpayment of rent, but are ineligible for the above-mentioned programs, or if you have to decrease your rental arrears to become eligible for these programs, check out our next article on How to request donations from Charities to help cover back rent.
I hope it helps, don’t give up on yourself. You have rights, claim them!
Comments