Budget Amendment ID: FY2023-S4-297

ECO 297

Expanding RAFT Eligibility to ERAP Levels

Messrs. Keenan and Eldridge, Ms. Jehlen, Messrs. Moore, Brady and Tarr, Ms. Moran, Ms. Gobi, Ms. Rausch, Mr. Velis, Ms. Lovely, Mr. Timilty, Ms. Comerford and Messrs. Gomez and O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 7004-9316, by inserting the following words:- "provided further, the department shall establish a pilot program to provide COVID-19 recovery emergency rental assistance benefits to households with incomes up to 80 per cent of the area median income; provided further, benefits under said pilot program shall be available to be used flexibly beyond the standard RAFT benefit cap; provided further, payments under said pilot program shall be available to cover up to 12 months in combined rental arrearage and forward rent payments for eligible households; provided further, under said pilot, the department and administering agencies shall make direct payments available to tenants whose landlords are unresponsive or refuse payments"; and by striking the figure “$150,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "160,000,000".