Ellen Davidson, a staff attorney with The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Law Reform Unit, joined WCNY’S Capitol Pressroom to discuss New York’s failed rent relief program which has so far only doled out a fraction of funds to families in need.

The state has until December 30, 2020 — just 30 days from today — to distribute the remaining $60 million to New Yorkers. Only $40 million out of $100 million in rent relief funds has been distributed so far, and only 15,020 out of 94,000 people who sought relief have been approved for the program.

A recent analysis by Legal Aid found that other states including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, and Washington State, amended their respective rent relief programs earlier this year to maximize the number of needy families eligible for relief. Albany so far has failed to do this.

Listen to the full episode below.