Attorneys with The Legal Aid Society demanded an extension of New York’s eviction moratorium, which is set to expire in a matter of days. The extension weighs all the more heavily on tenants throughout the state given that the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) – the state agency tasked with disbursing billions in federal and state funds – still lacks at this late date the infrastructure required to accept and process tenant applications for access to the funds.

Tenants rights advocates throughout the state are hopeful that state lawmakers will pass an extension on Monday. When asked if the issues at OTDA are will be the basis for further extension, Judith Goldiner, Attorney-in-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society responded “Pretty much. They (OTDA) tell us they’re working on it.”

“This rent relief money is really a lifeline for folks – for both landlords and tenants it’s going to money that can go to pay up to 12 months back rent and three months forward,” Goldiner told Capital Tonight. “But until it’s set up, we really need to make sure that tenants aren’t going to be evicted in the meantime. And that helps both the landlords and tenants because landlords can’t get the money if they end up evicting them.”

Watch the full segment here.