Eviction moratorium has ended, but there aren’t enough homes. Share your story.
New York state's eviction moratorium ended Jan. 15, opening the door for landlords to once again evict tenants for nonpayment of rent.
Now, Binghamton residents behind on rent or utility payments need to apply for financial assistance through the city. But if evicted, they may find themselves unable to find somewhere else to live.
Are you facing eviction or having trouble looking for affordable and safe housing? Scroll to the bottom of this story or click here to connect with us.
Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said that since the beginning of the pandemic, the city has allocated $1.2 million in federal CARES Act funds for direct housing assistance to residents to prevent eviction and homelessness.
Of that $1.2 million, $620,000 remains, Kraham said, and can go only to low- and moderate-income tenants affected by the pandemic.
However, housing and homelessness advocate Rebecca Rathmell said the current need for safe, affordable rental housing heavily outweighs the availability.
"There are about 4,600 extremely low-income renter households in Binghamton and less than 2,000 deeply affordable apartments," Rathmell said. "With local emergency shelters at capacity and thousands facing displacement now that the eviction moratorium has expired, millions in rental assistance is useless if there are, in fact, no homes to be rented."
Kraham is encouraging residents currently behind on rent or facing eviction to call 211, a program funded through the United Way, to start the application process.
Those who have previously received assistance through these funds are eligible to apply a second time.
Connect with us
With twice as many people looking for affordable housing in the City of Binghamton than there are affordable units available, we'd like to speak with you about your experience applying for aid and answer questions you may have about the process.
If you'd like to share your experience or have any questions, please fill out the form below. We'll be following up with a story looking at some of the most important and frequently asked questions from readers.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton eviction moratorium: Apply for help on rent, utilities
