DHS Announces They Will NOT Pay February Rent for Current Advantage Tenants

Update March 21, 2012: We are sorry to report that the Appellate court ruled against the plaintiffs on March 20, saying that the City does not have an obligation to continue paying Advantage rents. Updated information from the Legal Aid Society will be posted shortly.

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UPDATE February 27, 2012: Interim relief for Advantage tenants was denied by the Appellate Court on February 21. This means the City will NOT be required to pay Advantage rents while the final Appellate decision is still pending. We do not yet know when the final Appellate decision will be released.

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We are sorry to report that DHS announced yesterday they will NOT pay February rent.

On February 2nd, a court decision that required the City to continue making payments to current Advantage tenants was lifted. In response, the City announced they will not be making Advantage rental payments for February. Next week the Legal Aid Society will ask the appeals court to restore Advantage paymentsWe do not know when the court will decide on this matter, so the legal fight will continue.

However, in the meantime the Department of Homeless Services has announced they will NOT make payments for February. Please see important information below for current Advantage tenants, provided by the Legal Aid Society.

Download important information from Legal Aid here. Y en Español.

I am still within the period of my Advantage lease rider or my Advantage lease extension. What should I do now?

If you cannot pay the full rent on your lease, continue to pay your portion of the rent specified on you Advantage lease rider. Continue to follow Advantage rules.

However, if you can pay your full rent and want to stay in your apartment, you may want to pay the full rent.

If I can’t afford to pay the full amount of my rent, should I go back to PATH to apply for shelter?

No, don’t leave your apartment just because Advantage is ending. Remember, your landlord cannot evict you wihtout taking you to Housing Court.

Visit the DHS website www.nyc.gov/dhs for more information about Homebase sessions being hosted by DHS to provide “eviction prevention counseling, free legal assistance, short term emergency funding and assistance in obtaining employment and public benefits”.

You may qualify for a program called the Family Eviction Prevention Supplement. Please click here for more information on this program.

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