On Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an emergency rental assistance program to help keep low-income New Yorkers hurt by the coronavirus shutdown in their homes.

The program, which is designed to reach those with the greatest need, will provide direct aid for tenants who lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is funded through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is part of the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) Act.

The New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal will administer the program and access to applications will be available on Thursday, July 16. The application period will be open for two weeks. Residents can apply any time during the two-week period. 

“Despite the progress we have made in fighting COVID-19, millions of New Yorkers are struggling because of this virus and the economic crisis,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins in a release announcing the program. “Providing direct aid to overburdened renters will help these New Yorkers stay in their homes and be able to make ends meet.”

“With many New Yorkers still out of work, we still need assistance from the federal government to help states deal with significant fiscal challenges ...,” said State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie in the release. “This rental assistance program, while still not enough to meet the tremendous needs that exist, is a step forward to lifting a financial burden off of our most vulnerable families.”

Also on Tuesday, Cuomo added four more states to the growing list of places from which travelers arriving in New York have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

On June 24, Cuomo along with the governors of  New Jersey and Connecticut, announced that travelers from eight states would need to self-quarantine; that number grew to 16 and now stands at 19 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

The criteria for required quarantine is based upon a seven day rolling average of positive tests in excess of 10 percent, or number of positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents.

Today he added Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

On Monday, Cuomo had announced that enforcement teams will work in airports across the state, including Albany International airport, to be sure travelers from those states fill out the required form. He also announced a $2,000 penalty for violations.