Despite changes meant to make its rental relief program more accessible to applicants, the second round of New York state’s rent relief program has paid out just $7 million out of $60 million available for struggling tenants since its February 1st deadline, as reported by Gothamist.

Only about 1,000 additional households qualified for aid in the second round, out of 87,000 applications under review. If unspent, the remaining $53 million in relief funds will be returned to the state’s Division of Budget.

The bureaucratic blunder comes after months of warning from New York tenant advocates demanding changes to the criteria dictating eligibility to allow relief funds to reach its intended target – New Yorkers struggling to stay in their homes.

“At the point at which people really needed help with rent, the program closed its doors,” said attorney Ellen Davidson of The Legal Aid Society, who helped clients apply for rent relief.