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COVID-19: Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program Reopened & Expanded

State Program Assists with Rent Payments Missed Due to Pandemic
Posted on: September 29, 2020 - 2:57pm
HMFA - NJ

The New Jersey Housing Mortgage and Finance Agency (NJHMFA) announced today the expansion and reopening of its Small Landlord Emergency Grant (SLEG) Program, which is designed to assist families struggling to meet rental payments due to COVID-19.

The state program reimburses qualified landlords for rent payments missed by families from April through July 2020 due to hardships created by the pandemic. The program reopened on Monday and will run through Tuesday, October 13th at 4:00 p.m., according to the NJHMFA, a state agency that helps to increase the availability of and accessibility in New Jersey to safe, decent, and affordable housing.

Landlords approved for SLEG funds must forgive any back rent or late fees incurred by their tenants.

To be eligible for the 2nd round of the SLEG Program:

  • Applicants must own a residential property in New Jersey with three to 30 rental units;
  • Applicants must be registered with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Bureau of Housing Inspection;
  • The property must not bea seasonal or vacation rental property;
  • The property must have at least one non-vacant rental unit impacted by COVID-19 between April and July 2020;
  • The property must have low-to-moderate income rent levels

The first and second rounds of the SLEG Program are supported by $15 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. All completed eligible applications will be randomly sorted by computer to give each applicant an equal chance of being funded. Grant funding will be allocated on a case-by-case basis, based on the number of COVID-impacted units and the amount of missed rent.

A list of all successful landlord applicants will be posted to the NJHMFA website, and letters will be sent to all tenants of awarded landlords.

There is a range of tools available on NJHMFA’s website to assist property owners in preparing their applications. Potential applicants with specific questions can call NJHMFA’s toll-free hotline at 866-280-9756 or email sleg@njhmfa.gov.