The bill modifies the eligibility criteria for the rent bank grant component of DOH’s Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program (EFPP). By law, the rent bank must serve families (1) at risk of homelessness, eviction, or foreclosure, and (2) whose income is no more than 60% of the state median income (including those receiving temporary family assistance from the state). To receive rent bank assistance under current law, a family meeting these requirements must:

1. document a loss of income or increase in expenses, including loss of employment, medical disability or emergency, loss or delay in receipt of other benefits, natural or man-made disaster, substantial and permanent change in household composition, and any other condition the DOH commissioner determines is a severe hardship that is unlikely to recur; and
2. participate in a related assessment and mediation EFPP component.

The bill eliminates this second requirement from the rent bank grant law.

Additionally, the bill increases the maximum amount of rent bank assistance an eligible family may receive during a consecutive 18-month period from $1,200 to $3,500.