Coronavirus Stop-Gap Rent Relief Bill Passes Legislature

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A new bill backed by Brooklyn lawmakers aims to provide a small measure of relief to tenants who couldn't pay their rent because of the coronavirus crisis.

State senators this week passed an emergency rent relief bill that would provide $100 million toward vouchers to help cover tenants' missed payments between April 1 and July 31.

It's a measure that state Assembly members also passed, meaning it could reach Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk for approval.

The bill falls far short of "cancel rent" legislation proposed by Queens state Sen. Michael Gianaris and called for by advocates like Housing Justice For All.

The $100 million interim rent relief bill's author state Sen. Brian Kavanagh, who represents Lower Manhattan and parts of west Brooklyn, acknowledged more needed to be done.

"An important step, but not nearly enough; we're committed to doing so much more!" he wrote on Twitter.

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The bill was co-sponsored by, among others, state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery, who represents Bed-Stuy and several other Brooklyn neighborhoods.

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