The Matt Urban Center will host a pop-up community event to provide assistance to tenants and landlords in the community who are interested in applying for the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
The event will be held on Tuesday July 20, 2021 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. outside the Matt Urban Hope Center at 385 Paderewski Drive, Buffalo, NY 14212. The organization’s Eviction Prevention team will be on site processing applications and providing information on the program. There will also be free food and beverages, and resources from United Healthcare and the Community Health Center of Buffalo.
“At the Matt Urban Center, we believe everyone has the right to affordable and safe housing,” said Ben Hilligas, Executive Director. “Our programs provide affordable and, in many cases, supportive housing to a variety of vulnerable and at-risk populations. We provide services that include emergency home repairs and weatherization, and have developed numerous properties to increase the stock of quality housing for members of our community. As this is primary to our mission we are thrilled to be partnering with the City of Buffalo and NYS Office of Temporary Disability Assistance to provide the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Keeping people in their homes and preventing an epidemic of homelessness as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic is certainly some of the most important work we can engage in and aligned with our mission and services we offer. I encourage tenants and landlords in need of information and assistance to call us. We are here to help.”
The NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program assists households that are behind on their rent that have experienced financial hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic and are at risk of homelessness or housing instability. This program can also provide support with rent arrears, temporary rental assistance, and unpaid gas and electric utility bills. Payments are made directly to the landlord, property owner or utility company on behalf of the tenant. Landlords are also able to start an application on their tenants’ behalf, though the application must be verified and completed by the tenant.
Those interested in applying at the event can find a list of required documents and program eligibility requirements at www.urbanctr.org/hope-services/hope-center/ERAP.
For more information on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or the ERAP Community Pop-Up Event at the Matt Urban Hope Center, contact Kevin Glover at (716) 893-7222 x306 or kglover@urbanctr.org.
