How eviction and homelessness prevention works across New York State
This page is for New Yorkers anywhere in the state who have gotten an eviction notice or court papers, are close to losing their home, or are already homeless. It explains how to stop an eviction, prevent homelessness, and get back into stable housing, and where to start no matter which county you live in. New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region, and every upstate county are all covered here. If your county or city has its own page on this site, including New York City, the link is below.
New York runs this service through both statewide programs and local offices, and this page covers both. The state sets the rules and pays for the programs. Your local office takes the application and decides who gets help. The same basic system runs across the whole state, with one local office in charge wherever you live.
Where to start: your local social services district
Everywhere in New York, the primary program for emergency rent help is your local social services district. In New York City that office is the Human Resources Administration (HRA). In the other 57 counties it is your county Department of Social Services. You apply there for emergency assistance, a one-time grant that some districts call a One Shot Deal, which can cover your back rent and stop an eviction.
This is short-term help for a problem you could not control, such as a lost job, a medical emergency, or a delayed benefit check. The money is paid straight to your landlord, and you generally have to show you can keep up with the rent after the grant. There are income limits, funds can run out, and approval is not guaranteed, so apply as early as you can, ideally before your court date.
Many counties also have nonprofits that the state pays to prevent homelessness. They can help with rent arrears, mediation with a landlord, legal help, and a plan to stay housed. Your social services office or community action agency in New York can point you to one, and so can a call to 211. If you have nowhere to sleep tonight, 211 is also the number to call after hours.
Your rights if you are taken to court
In New York, only a court can evict you, and only after a judge signs a warrant of eviction. Your landlord cannot change the locks, remove your belongings, or shut off your utilities to force you out. You have the right to show up in court and raise a defense, and you should not move out just because a landlord tells you to.
Low-income tenants can get free legal help with an eviction. The simplest way to find it is through LawHelpNY (website: https://www.lawhelpny.org/), which lists legal aid programs by county, or through your local court's help center. Some places in New York also guarantee a free lawyer in eviction cases - with local and state options on the NHPB free legal aid page.
New York City does, for tenants whose income qualifies, and a handful of other localities have their own programs. A statewide right to a free lawyer has been proposed but is not yet law, so outside the places that guarantee it, free representation depends on the local legal aid program's capacity.
How New York funds this
The state agency behind all of it is the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, or OTDA. OTDA, at https://otda.ny.gov/programs/housing/, does not take applications from the public. It funds the county social services districts and the local nonprofits that do. One of its main programs, the Solutions to End Homelessness Program, pays nonprofits across the state to stop evictions, cover rent arrears, provide legal help, and rehouse people quickly. Some of the money is federal, through Emergency Solutions Grants, which the state passes down to local agencies for prevention, rehousing, and shelter.
New York is also divided into local planning groups called Continuums of Care, or CoCs, which coordinate homeless services and federal housing money in each area. New York City has its own, Long Island and most upstate cities and counties have their own, and a set of smaller counties are grouped together into the Balance of State Continuum of Care, coordinated with a nonprofit called CARES of New York. Which group serves you depends on where you live.
If you own your home
If you own your home and have fallen behind on the mortgage, the state's Homeowner Protection Program gives you free housing counseling and legal help, including representation in foreclosure court. Call 1-855-HOME-456 (1-855-466-3456) or go to https://homeownerhelpny.org/. Reach out early, because more options are open before a case is far along. Be careful of anyone who asks for an upfront fee to stop a foreclosure or save your home. That is a common scam, and charging those fees is illegal in most cases in New York.
Find help in your area
Start with your area. If your county or city has its own page on this site, go there for local programs and contacts:
Erie County (Buffalo)
Monroe County (Rochester)
New York City (all 5 boroughs) - the city runs its own programs through HRA
Onondaga County (Syracuse)
Suffolk County
Westchester County
If your county is not listed, your county Department of Social Services is the place to start, and a call to 211 can connect you to local eviction-prevention and homelessness programs.
Community Discussion
The needhelppayingbills forum, with a thread focused on New York State homeless prevention, is a focused, moderated community where real people from the state share real-time tips as well as resource. You can find real experiences from people in the community on the New York State eviction and homeless prevention forum.
Other options for rent and housing help in New York
This page is about stopping evictions, preventing homelessness, and getting rehoused. For broader help paying rent, including Section 8 and NYCHA, cash assistance, security deposit help, and church and charity funds, see our New York rental assistance page.
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