New landlord relief from Hochul met with mixed reaction

It’s welcome news for New York landlords.

Gov. Hochul announced another $125 million that’s now available and can provide them with up to 12 months of lost rent.

Reviews are mixed. Some say it will help them survive. Others say it’s already too late for them.

The problem with the previous relief, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, was the federal requirement that tenants participate in the application process.

With many landlord tenant relationships already strained at that time, some tenants failed to cooperate.

Now with the Landlord Rental Assistance Program, a tenant’s cooperation is not needed.

"This is something we’ve been waiting for," said Chris Morris, Director of Schenectady Landlords Influencing Change.

She says it looks like those administering the new program, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, have made some changes designed to really get money to those who need it. However, she’s still taking wait and see approach.

"I’m not sure how this will go. I just know that it seems to be simplified. Don’t know what’s going to happen when people actually apply," said Morris.

Raphel Peralta and her husband owned a rental property in Rotterdam. She says the help is too little too late. She dealt with tenants who were uncooperative and left her property in ruins. The repair costs and months of unpaid rent were just too much. They had to sell.

"We didn’t have the money to cover the cost of losing $10,000 upwards of that amount, so no it would not have even helped if it came a couple of months sooner," said Peralta. "I hope the other landlords out there are getting some relief, but it’s definitely very little, too late."

Morris is advising landlords to act quickly, as it’s a first come, first served basis.

MORE INFORMATION: Landlord Rental Assistance Program