This Week's Resources
As always, if you have something to share, contact SK Doyle, our Associate Director of Programs & Volunteers. These posts will be a collaboration between SK and Amalia Vavala, Associate Director of Development and Operations, and you can always reach out to her as well.
And once again, as we continue to add to the blog, you'll be able to explore resources by using the tags at the bottom of these posts!
Sustainability Institutes: SNAP Training This Week!
This Thursday, August 26th from 2-5 pm, we're partnering with the Food Bank of NYC to provide SNAP Benefits Training as a Sustainability Institute. This training is not city-specific, so all programs are welcome to register. You can do so on our Sustainability Institute page here. Please note this workshop counts as 2 SI credits.
On September 30th from 3:30 to 5 pm, we're partnering with the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene to hold a Community Conversation about COVID-19 and Mental Health. Programs of all types can benefit from this discussion! You can register on our Sustainability Institute page here.
As a reminder, EC grantee programs are required to attend three (3) online or one (1) in-person and one (1) virtual workshop. The two above workshops count as 2 credits.
New SNAP Expansion Passed
The USDA has just passed a large expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that will impact benefits for millions of Americans. You can read more about this expansion here. Read about the emergency allotment of SNAP Benefits here.
Be sure to register for this week's Sustainability Institute below to learn about how you can help program clients and community members access these benefits!
Eviction Moratorium Update
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a portion of the NYS Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Protection Act (EEFPA) was unlawful. Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, many eviction protections for NYC tenants remain in effect. The Supreme Court’s decision means that submitting a NYS hardship declaration has no legal effect. As a result, eviction cases in which a tenant submitted a Hardship Declaration can be scheduled for appearance in Housing Court before August 31.
However, under NYS law:
A tenant cannot be legally evicted without having a court proceeding (including a scheduled court conference) and only after an order by a judge of the Housing Court.
Tenants whose eviction cases are scheduled for appearance in Housing Court have access to free legal services, regardless of ZIP code, under NYC’s right-to-counsel law. Tenants can access free legal services by calling 311 and asking for the Tenant Helpline or by calling Housing Court Answers at (718) 557-1379, or they can receive access to free legal services at their first scheduled court appearance.
Tenants who file an application for rent assistance with the NYS Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will have their eviction case stayed (paused) until their application is reviewed and decided by NYS. Additional protections in eviction proceedings for non-payment of rent will apply to tenants whose applications are approved, and landlords who accept ERAP payments are also restricted from evicting for an expired lease or holdover for a year after the first ERAP payment.
Tenants who can prove that they had financial hardship during the State COVID-19 emergency period (March 7, 2020, to June 24, 2021) may have a defense in court to eviction for non-payment of rent owed during that period, under the NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act.
Tenants who qualify for protection under the federal CDC eviction moratorium and submit the required declaration are currently protected under that law (scheduled to expire on October 3, 2021).
In addition, following the Supreme Court’s ruling the NYS Office of Court Administration (OCA) issues two statewide administrative orders governing residential eviction proceedings, requiring landlords with pending eviction cases to inform the court about the status of emergency rental assistance applications for their tenants, and clarifying when and how housing courts can schedule eviction cases for conference in light of the Supreme Court’s decision. Tenants with questions about their protections from eviction can get free legal advice and other assistance through HRA’s Office of Civil Justice. For more information on how to access free legal services for tenants in NYC, call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline, or visit HRA’s Office of Civil Justice online at www.nyc.gov/civiljustice.
CDC Guidelines for Food Access Programs
Please see the most updated COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for Food Access Programs by the CDC here.
Bulk Buy Application
Our Bulk Buy program aggregates demand to allow programs to order in-demand foods like fresh produce, proteins, and culturally relevant foods for free. To apply for this program, fill out the form here.
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That's all for this week -- thanks for all you do!