NY A02163

Limits rent payments for covered tenants who lost income due to COVID-19 government restrictions to 30 percent of current income or contractual rent, whichever is less, for 90 days after the act's effective date.

Requires tenants paying reduced rent to provide written statements of actual income to landlords, and waives the difference between contractual rent and reduced payments unless the tenant receives additional income.

Allows tenants to raise compliance with this act as a defense in non-payment eviction proceedings, with income documentation presumptively admissible as evidence.

Permits landlords who lost rental income and lack full compensation from federal, state, or local assistance to apply to the Division of Housing and Community Renewal for relief from the COVID-19 rental assistance fund.

Prohibits courts from accepting new eviction filings for non-payment of rent for at least 30 days after the state of emergency expires and bars reduced or late rent payments during the emergency from being used as grounds for chronic non-payment proceedings.