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Nassau County Launches Pandemic Rental Relief Program

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Courtesy Office of County Executive Laura Curran

In the new year, Nassau County will begin helping residents struggling financially due to the Covid-19 pandemic pay their rent, County Executive Laura Curran announced today.

The Rental Relief Program (RRP) will be administered by the Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDC-LI) and cover up to three consecutive months’ unpaid rent beginning April 2020.

“Home matters now more than ever,” Gwen O’Shea, president and CEO of CDC-LI, said in a statement. “The financial burden and uncertainty this pandemic has caused is really unimaginable; especially for households that were struggling prior to Covid. This program will begin to alleviate some of that burden for renters, landlords and our local economy.”

CDC-LI will be conducting outreach to raise awareness about the program in the next two weeks. Then, beginning Jan. 6, potential applicants can complete an initial inquiry form at cdcli.org.

There are specific criteria individuals must meet to qualify for the program, such as making below a certain maximum income, demonstrating a loss of income, and being current on rent before March 2020. Once a person finishes the application process and is deemed eligible, the program will make the rent payments directly to the landlord or homeowner.

“The need for relief has never been greater,” Curran said, “and the County will continue to do all it can to help residents get to the other side of this crisis.”

Nassau will spend $6 million on rent relief, which officials estimate will aid about 900 households, using federal Community Development Block Grant – COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) relief funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The county has also used its federal grant funds during the pandemic for food distribution, small business loans, free PPE kits for residents and businesses, and expanded mental health and support services.

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