Chelsea Diana reports in the Albany Business Review that New York state's $2.7 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program begins June 1, The program is designed to help eligible New Yorkers who are behind on their rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state's residential eviction moratorium has been in place since the pandemic restrictions started in March 2020, preventing the eviction of tenants struggling to pay rent due to the pandemic. That has left some landlords without their rent, and this program addresses that with 12 months of past-due rent, three months of prospective rental assistance, and 12 months of utility arrears going to eligible New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status. But the money actually goes directly to the landlord or utility company. The program is funded by $2.6 billion in federal resources and $100 million of state funding. Read more about this story in the Albany Business Review.