Yes. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. HRA can consider your earned and unearned income, household (HH) size, whether you have any available savings and resources, a disability, the affordability of your housing, how you plan to pay the expense in the future, your citizenship or immigration status, and the reason for your request. You may be able to get cash help if you:

• lost your job
• had a significant decrease in your income and cannot pay your bills
• are homeless or are about to lose your home
• had a sudden medical situation
• are about to have your gas and/or electricity cut off
• lost your personal property due to a fire, theft, or a natural disaster
• are a victim of domestic violence
• have other issues which may affect you or your family’s safety.

HRA will determine what grants you are eligible for since each has their own income requirements, and most must be paid back.

Types of Grants that HRA may pay include:

• rent arrears to pay past due rent
• moving expenses, including a broker’s fee for a new apartment, a security deposit and moving costs
• utility bills including to stop your utilities from being shut off
• furniture allowance (including HH furnishings, equipment, and supplies) for the establishment of a home and only under specific circumstances, for example, moving out of a homeless shelter into unfurnished accommodations; for replacement of furniture which has been lost in a fire, flood, or other like catastrophe.
• storage fees to place your items in storage if you are in a shelter or because you were evicted

The amount of money you may receive in a grant, changes based on the type of assistance you are requesting. For rent arrears the amount of money you can get is based on many factors and is determined on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, for moving expenses and storage fees, the amount is based on many factors and is determined on a case-by-case basis.

For more information about storage fee amounts, please review the What You Need to Know About Storage if You Live in a Shelter information on The Legal Aid Society website.

Please note that HRA may also ask you to contact multiple storage and moving companies to obtain cost estimates before deciding. For clothing and furniture allowances the amount is determined by the regulations. For utility bills, HRA will either pay for the past four months or the total amount you owe, whichever is smaller.

You can apply for emergency assistance by using the Access HRA website and clicking on “Cash Assistance” for the option to apply for emergency assistance, or by going in person to an HRA Benefits Access Center (BAC). BAC’s used to be called Job Centers or welfare centers. You can find your local BAC here.

You can apply for emergency assistance even if you have requested it in the past, but you may need to explain, at your required interview, what caused you to need to make your current request. HRA can make exceptions depending on the circumstances in your case.

If you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) you do not have to pay back the money given to you. For the other types of grants, you may have to pay back all or some of the money given to you. This will depend on the type of grant you are awarded. For these other grants you will be asked to sign an agreement that you will pay the money back.

HRA must send you a written decision notice that should contain this information.

Yes. You can request a Fair Hearing within 60 days of the date on your denial notice. You can request a Fair Hearing online, by telephone, or in person.

If you want more information about how to prepare for a fair hearing you can go to visit Fair Hearing Help New York.

The information in this document has been prepared by The Legal Aid Society for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. You should not act upon any information without retaining professional legal counsel.