HRA One Shot Deal: emergency help with back rent

A One Shot Deal is a one-time emergency payment from the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) that can cover rent you owe so you aren't evicted. You apply online through ACCESS HRA or at an HRA Benefits Access Center, you must do an interview, and you usually have to show you can keep paying the rent going forward. Most people repay at least part of it.

HRA calls these Emergency Assistance grants. Rent arrears are the most common use, but the same program can help with a utility shutoff or losses from a fire. This guide focuses on back rent: who qualifies, what to bring, how long it takes and what happens if you're turned down.

What a One Shot Deal can pay for

ACCESS NYC describes Emergency Assistance as help for people who can't pay bills after losing a job, getting less pay, or another emergency such as an unexpected medical situation. It lists these situations:

• You are experiencing homelessness, or will lose your housing without help (this is where rent arrears fit).
• Your gas or electricity has been shut off, or you have a shutoff notice.
• You lost clothing, personal items or furniture to theft, fire or a natural disaster.
• Domestic violence.
• Other problems that affect your family's health or safety.

According to The Legal Aid Society, the check for back rent usually goes straight to your landlord or to Housing Court, not to you. If a lawyer is helping you, the lawyer can ask HRA to send it to them.

Who qualifies

HRA decides each request individually. It doesn't publish a fixed income limit. The factors it says it may consider are:

The "future ability to pay" test

This is where many applications fail. HRA wants to know the grant will actually stop the eviction, not just delay it. Legal Aid explains that you must show you can pay the rent going forward and still cover basic needs. That income can come from:

• your job or a household member's job,
• monthly benefits such as Social Security,
• help from someone outside your household, or
• a recent approval for a rent subsidy such as FHEPS, CityFHEPS or Section 8.

Legal Aid suggests showing you can pay the current month's rent. It also says seniors receiving SSI don't have to show future ability to pay. If your rent is far above what you earn, ask HRA or a Homebase office about longer-term help rather than a one-time grant.

Documents to gather

HRA asks for documents case by case. Expect to need:

• Photo ID, birth certificate or Social Security number for each adult in the household.
• Proof of income for everyone in the household (pay stubs, award letters, unemployment records).
• Your lease.
• A letter or ledger from your landlord showing the monthly rent and how much you owe.
• Any court papers: a rent demand, a petition, a stipulation or a marshal's notice.
• Proof of how you will pay going forward, such as a job offer letter or a signed letter from a relative who will help.
• Proof of immigration status if it applies.

Legal Aid adds proof of residence and school attendance for children under 16. Upload everything through the ACCESS HRA mobile app or scan it at a kiosk in a Benefits Access Center. HRA will send a notice if it needs anything else.

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Get an exact arrears amount

   Ask the landlord for a written ledger. If you are in court, the amount in the petition or stipulation is what HRA will look at.
2. 2

   Apply on ACCESS HRA

   Apply online at ACCESS HRA (a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra) or in person at a Benefits Access Center. Legal Aid says a home visit or phone application can be requested as a disability accommodation.
3. 3

   Do the interview

   An interview is required. Legal Aid advises calling 929-273-1872 right after you apply, early in the morning, and using the callback option. Call again if no one calls back within 48 hours.
4. 4

   Upload documents

   Use the ACCESS HRA app. Keep copies and the upload confirmations.
5. 5

   Track the case

   Check status in ACCESS HRA or call 718-557-1399. If there's no decision after 30 days, follow up with your Benefits Access Center or 311.
6. 6

   Read the decision notice

   HRA should send a written approval or denial with the reason. An approval says whether you must repay.

If you have a Housing Court case

Don't wait for the One Shot Deal to be decided before dealing with the case. Go to every court date, tell the court you have applied, and bring proof of the application. If you've been sued for nonpayment, you may also qualify for a free lawyer under Right to Counsel. For how the case moves, see the NYC eviction process timeline and the Housing Court guide.

1. Rent demand

   You get a 14-day demand

   Apply now. Don't wait for a court case. See 14-day rent demands.

2. Petition

   Landlord files in Housing Court

   Answer the petition and mention your pending application.

3. Court date

   Possible stipulation

   If you sign an agreement to pay, make sure the deadline leaves time for HRA. Read stipulations first.

4. Marshal’s notice

   Last stage

   Act immediately. See marshal's notice options.

Repaying the grant

HRA says that unless you receive SSI, you may have to pay back some or all of the money, and that if your income is above a certain level you may have to sign a repayment agreement. The approval notice tells you whether and how much. Legal Aid says SSI recipients don't have to repay certain emergency grants, including some rent arrears grants.

If you can't afford the repayment, Legal Aid suggests contacting HRA's Division of Claims and Collections (375 Pearl Street, 22nd floor, New York, NY 10038; 718-557-1399; [email protected]) and offering an amount you can pay each month. This matters later: HRA warns that if you were asked to repay a past grant and didn't, it may affect whether you get a new one.

If you are denied

• Read the reason. Common problems are missing documents, no clear explanation of why you fell behind, and no proof you can pay going forward.
• Reapply. Legal Aid says you can reapply right away with the missing pieces fixed.
• Request a fair hearing. You can ask the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) for a fair hearing if you were denied or given the wrong amount. Legal Aid warns hearings can be slow, so reapply at the same time.
• Get help. Find the Homebase office for your ZIP code with HRA's Homebase locator, or call 311. Homebase works with people at risk of entering shelter on eviction prevention, benefits and short-term financial help.

Other help with rent

• Homebase: homelessness prevention offices by ZIP code. Use HRA's locator or call 311.
• CityFHEPS and FHEPS: ongoing rental assistance. See CityFHEPS explained.
• SCRIE and DRIE: rent freezes for older and disabled tenants in regulated apartments. Check with the SCRIE/DRIE eligibility checker.
• A lower rent: if your apartment is rent stabilized and you may have been overcharged, see how to file an overcharge complaint.