City of Buffalo Relaunches COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program for Renters

The City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency have officially relaunched its COVID-19 assistance program that is designed to help renters that have been negatively impacted by Coronavirus.

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Back in February 2021, the City of Buffalo announced its new STAND-Up Buffalo Program which was initially set into motion to help renters, homeowners, landlords, small businesses, and others who had been struggling financially due to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.

The program, named STAND UP Buffalo, stands for the Small Business, Tenants and Neighborhood Development Underwriting Program. It will be administered by the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency (BURA) in partnership with a slew of nonprofit agencies in Buffalo.

For almost a year now, Buffalo’s residents and small businesses have had to find innovative ways to cope with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines that have been put in place to help slow the spread. Today’s announcement of a new set of assistance programs will help our City’s tenants, homeowners, and entrepreneurs access the resources they need to continue operating during these difficult circumstances and give people the hope they need as the vaccine becomes more widely accessible and the end of the pandemic’s restrictions are within sight.
-Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo

Because of other financial assistance that had come into buffalo from State and Federal partners, the City of Buffalo paused this particular program to allow people the opportunity to access those programs. Now that they are winding down, City officials have decided to relaunch this program.

The City has approximately $11 million set aside for this program that will continue to concentrate on Eviction Prevention, Foreclosure Prevention, Fair Housing Assistance, Rental and Owner Housing Repair.

We're extremely encouraged that this program is being relaunched to help our neighbors in need throughout the City of Buffalo. COVID-19 has caused so many challenges for so many, anything that we can do is sure to help.
-Beverly Moore, Coordinator of Housing and Community Development for the Buffalo Urban League

Residents can start to apply for this program now by contacting 211, 311, the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, or via one of the partner agencies. There is a process to find out what you qualify for, so when you contact these agencies they will ask a series of intake questions to see what you are eligible for, from there you would be directed to the appropriate place for assistance.

The organizations that have partnered with the City of Buffalo are 211 of WNY, Belmont Housing Resources of WNY, Buffalo Urban League, Catholic Charities, Center for Elder Law and Justice, Col. Matt Urban Center, Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Neighborhood Legal Services, Old First Ward Center, Restoration Society, University District Community Development Association, and Westminster Economic Development Initiative.