‘Too Many Requests’ — New York’s new rental relief website immediately crashes

AP Photo/Hans Pennink

By David Brand

This story has been updated with a response from the state’s Department of Homes and Community Renewal.

A brand new state website that enables New Yorkers affected by COVID-19 to apply for rental assistance crashed less than 10 minutes after going live Thursday.

The COVID Rent Relief Program, administered by the state’s Department of Homes and Community Renewal, will provide certain New York households with a one-time rental subsidy that the state will send directly to landlords. A July 8 report by Bloomberg finds that roughly 25 percent of New York City tenants have not paid their rent since March due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 crisis, which has led to a spike in unemployment.

"It's critically important that people are able to stay safely in their homes as we progress through our data-driven, phased reopening, and the COVID Rent Relief Program reinforces that commitment with direct assistance to those in the greatest need," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement announcing the program.

But eight minutes after going live, the application portal was down, displaying the message “Too Many Requests” to New Yorkers in need trying to access rental help. The application portal also fails to support Internet Explorer, according to a note on the HCR website.

“We already knew there were flaws, but the fact that it crashed within the first 15 minutes is tragic and shows how much need there is,” said Sateesh Nori, the head of Legal Aid’s Queens Housing Unit. 

Image courtesy of the Astoria Tenants Union

Nori and his colleagues were attempting to assist a Spanish-speaking client with their application.

“We applied because this person didn’t have internet access and doesn’t speak English,” Nori said. “What chance does someone have who doesn’t speak English, doesn’t have internet, or is using their phone to apply?”

HCR officials acknowledged the website problems, but the agency did not immediately provide a response. This story will be updated with their response.

To qualify for rental assistance, tenants must earn less than 80 percent of Area Median Income, pay at least 30 percent of their income toward rent and demonstrate that they lost income between April 1 and July 31.

Even before the Rent Relief Program application period began Thursday, advocates said the initiative was insufficient to meet the need of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, including many at risk of becoming homeless ahead of the pandemic.

“I don’t think they’re prepared or well equipped for the amount of applications they’re going to receive,” said Yadira Durét of the Astoria Tenants Union.. Her organization anticipates 25,000 tenants will receive the rental assistance, a far cry from the number of New Yorkers who need support.

Though the state has implemented an eviction moratorium, landlords can still seek money judgements against tenants who have not paid their rent. Dumét said she worries about what will happen to tenants, including those who receive some rental assistance, once the moratorium ends and landlords can seek evictions.    

“Tenants can apply but then there’s no protection once the [eviction] moratorium is lifted,” she said. 

When ATU organizers attempted to call HCR’s Spanish hotline for assistance Thursday morning, they were directed to an automated messaging system, Dumét said. The COVID Rental Relief Program did not provide options in other languages, she added.

ATU organizer said they had planned to help about 40 Queens tenants, including several non-English speakers, apply for rental relief through the HCR website. The website crash complicates that plan, said ATU organizer Johanna Monge.

“It seems like it won’t be a viable option if we have to wait for applications to load all day,” Monge said.

UPDATE, July 16 at 3:40 p.m.

A spokesperson for NYSHCR provided the following statement:

"This morning, some New Yorkers were briefly unable to access HCR’s rental relief application portal due to anti-fraud measures which limit the number of concurrent log-ins to state systems. As the volume of log-ins increased, the issue was immediately identified and the capacity limits were adjusted — the application is currently operating with no issues. As a reminder, rental applications are being accepted throughout a two-week period and determinations will NOT be made on a first come, first serve basis — rather HCR will prioritize households with the greatest economic and social need, accounting for income, rent burden, percent of income lost and risk of homelessness."