In an effort to stabilize communities and families in Westchester County impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, County Executive George Latimer is announcing
the Community Build Back Program.
The four-pronged umbrella program has four programs under it. Two utilize US. Department of Housing and Urban Development money, the RED STOP Eviction Project and the RED Rent HELP Project, and two separate ones utilize $10 million in CARES ACT money, the Blue Priority Homeowners Initiative and
the Blue Small Business Landlord Initiative.
“As a result of COVID-19 and the impact on the economy, both the federal government and New York State issued moratoriums on tenant evictions,” Latimer said. “Those moratoriums are coming to an end and unemployment benefits have been greatly diminished. The Community Build Back Program will enable families to stay in their homes as we head into the fall/winter season.”
The RED STOP Eviction Project utilizes federal HUD funds and will provide up to four months of rental or utility arrears for tenants facing eviction or shut
off as long as they can demonstrate that their financial hardship is due to COVID-19. Tenants must be within 21 days of eviction, must demonstrate ability to
pay their rent going forward and must live in a Westchester Urban County Consortium municipality.
Assistance is available through select non-profits including: Westchester Residential Opportunities, Community Housing Innovations, Washingtonville
Housing Alliance and Choice of New Rochelle. RED Rent HELP Project—“moving forward” also utilizes federal HUD funds and will provide up to 12 months of
rental assistance for families impacted by COVID-19 but focus on households where the tenants worked in industries closed until Phase 4 or who worked for a
business that no longer exists. RED Rent HELP Project will be run by the county Planning Department.
The Blue Priority Homeowners Initiative uses $2.5 million and focuses on homeowners facing foreclosure. That part of the program, which is estimated to
help 325 households in the county, and assist them with up to four months of mortgage/cooperative arrears. Homeowners must show that COVID-19 has negatively impacted their ability to pay their mortgage. The homeowner will also have to show that they were up to date on payments as of March
2020.
This part of the program also runs until the end of the year and will be administered through select nonprofits including: Westchester Residential Opportunities, Community Housing Innovations, Washingtonville Housing Alliance, HDSW (Human Development Services of Westchester) and
the Bridge Fund.
“This eviction prevention program will be a lifesaver for so many County residents at risk of becoming homeless,” said Marlene Zarfes, executive director of
Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. “Westchester Residential Opportunities is proud to partner with the County to help keep people safely in their homes and keep families together.”
For the Blue Small Business Landlord Initiative, $7.5 million has been earmarked to assist approximately 2,400 households in the county by working directly
with their landlords and bringing their rent up to date. The program runs from now until the end of 2020, and can cover up to 75% of back rent for up to four months of rent for landlords who can show that their tenants were up to date in March, but have since not been able to pay their rent due to COVID-19.
This program, to be done by lottery, will assist landlords who own between four and 20 units. Blue Small Business Landlord Initiative will be run by the county Planning Department.(Submitted)
