Ryan announces distribution of funding from eviction prevention program for upstate counties

$1.54 million in new state funding coming to Erie County expected to protect more than 1,000 local families from eviction in year 1

√ Ryan secured $10 million in 2024-25 state budget for new program

Press Release and Photo Submitted by the Office of New York State Sen. Sean Ryan 

New York State Sen. Sean Ryan announced New York is launching a program to distribute $10 million in new eviction prevention funds to communities across upstate, including more than $1.5 million to Erie County.

Making emergency rental funds more accessible to families in need is one of the four components of “The City of Good Neighborhoods,” Ryan’s comprehensive plan to address the shortage of high-quality, affordable housing in Buffalo. In April, Ryan announced he had secured significant state funding to support the plan. The funding included $80 million to establish two new, proof-of-concept pilot programs to create infill housing and improve vacant rental units, as well as $10 million to protect families across upstate from being evicted.

In order to distribute the new eviction prevention funds, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has created the New York state shelter arrears eviction forestallment (SAEF) program. Through this new initiative, a total of $10 million will be distributed to New York’s 57 counties outside of New York City and Long Island, with each county’s allocation determined by its 2023 eviction rates. Erie County will receive $1.54 million, the highest amount allocated to any of the counties receiving funds. The money will be distributed locally by the Erie County Department of Social Services. A full list of funding distributed to counties can be found here.

The new program was designed to reach families in need of temporary rental assistance who are left behind by New York’s existing Emergency Assistance to Families (EAF) and Emergency Safety Net Assistance (ESNA) programs. Household eligibility for the SAEF program is based on the income limits for EAF and ESNA. To qualify, families with children must have a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and families without children must have a household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level.

To fill some of the gaps left by EAF and ESNA, the SAEF program omits several of the other programs’ burdensome eligibility restrictions that can keep families in need from accessing assistance. For instance, applicants will not be required to demonstrate an ability to pay future rent, and households can be eligible for the SAEF program even if they have already received rental assistance within the past five years. Omitting these restrictions brings the new program in line with existing eligibility qualifications for downstate residents and matches the way the state administers other emergency programs such as the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) emergency benefit.

The counties receiving the funding have flexibility to determine the overall design of their local SAEF program, but have been encouraged by OTDA to make extra efforts to ensure prioritization of certain households, such as those with children under the age of 6, single individuals with a history of housing instability, veterans, and victims of domestic violence.

This funding will also be beneficial to Western New York’s small landlords. Many of the rental units in Buffalo and Erie County are double unit homes. Sometimes, these are owned by retired seniors who rely on the rental income to make ends meet. This will help those landlords keep tenants in their units when families fall behind on rent due to unforeseen circumstances such as health issues or loss of income.

Ryan said, “Most people would probably be shocked to learn that the average family evicted in Buffalo loses their home over just $1,200 of owed rent. If $1,200 is what it costs the state to keep a family from losing their home, that is money well spent – especially when you consider that we spend about $13,000 for each household that ends up in the shelter system. I am proud to have secured this vital funding to prevent evictions here in Erie County, and across upstate New York.”

Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin said “Four years later, our community is still recovering from the exacerbating effect of COVID-19 on our households and the economy, including the overwhelming impact of evictions on our families and our courts who are processing evictions. These much-needed funds are going to help keep families in their homes and reduce the burden on our local government system responsible for managing evictions. I am grateful to Sen. Ryan for securing these vital funds and I look forward to working with County Executive Poloncarz and the administration to distribute these funds as quickly as possible.”

Erie County Department of Social Services Interim Commissioner Karen Rybicki said "I would like to thank State Sen. Sean Ryan for his leadership and his advocacy for our region during this ongoing housing crisis. The shelter arrears eviction forestallment (SAEF) program is a step in the right direction, towards a proactive, preventive approach to homelessness in New York state. It is well established that keeping individuals and families in their homes provides the stability necessary for them to recover from the hardships that threaten to put them on the street."