If you are one paycheck away from losing your apartment, NYC has a one-time emergency cash grant that most New Yorkers don’t realize they can ask for. It’s called Emergency Assistance — almost everyone calls it a “One Shot Deal” — and it exists for exactly the moment when a single unexpected event (a lost job, a medical bill, a shut-off notice, back rent piling up) threatens to put you on the street. Here’s how it actually works in 2026, who qualifies, and the exact steps to apply this week.
What a One Shot Deal Is
A One Shot Deal is a one-time grant of cash assistance from the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) for people who can’t pay a bill because of an unexpected situation. According to ACCESS NYC, the city’s official benefits portal, emergency assistance can help you if:
- You are experiencing homelessness or will lose your housing if you don’t get help
- Your gas or electricity has been shut off, or you received a shut-off notice
- You lost clothes, personal items, or furniture because of theft, a fire, or a natural disaster
- You are affected by domestic violence
- You have another issue that affects the health and safety of you or your family
The most common use is to cover back rent so a tenant can stop an eviction. But the program is broader than rent — it can also cover a utility shut-off, the cost of replacing essentials after a fire, or a security deposit and first month’s rent for a new place.
The Catch Nobody Mentions: You May Have to Pay It Back
This is the part that trips people up, so be clear-eyed about it. HRA states plainly that you may be required to repay some or all of the Emergency Assistance, and they will tell you if and how much. Whether you repay usually depends on your situation — people who receive SSI generally do not have to pay back emergency grants, while others may be set up on a repayment plan or have it recouped from future cash assistance.
That repayment reality is not a reason to avoid the program. Avoiding an eviction is almost always worth a manageable repayment plan, and HRA looks at your ability to pay before deciding. But you should go in knowing it’s not always free money.
Who Qualifies
There is no single income cutoff. HRA decides eligibility case by case, and the official factors they weigh include:
- Your income, both earned and unearned
- Your household size
- The reason for the need (for example, losing a job)
- Your available savings and resources
- Whether your housing is affordable going forward
- Disability
- Whether you have a realistic plan to pay the expense moving forward
- Citizenship or immigration status
That last point about a “future plan to pay” matters. HRA wants to see that this is a one-time gap, not a chronic one — that after the grant clears the immediate crisis, you can carry the bill going forward from your own income or with help from someone else. If your rent is simply unaffordable on your income long-term, a One Shot Deal alone may not be approved, and you may be steered toward a longer-term rental subsidy instead.
What You’ll Need to Bring
HRA requests documents on a case-by-case basis, but according to ACCESS NYC, you should be ready with:
- A birth certificate or Social Security number and/or a photo ID for each adult in the household
- Proof of income for everyone in your household
- Bills or letters from your landlord showing your monthly rent and the rent you owe
- Copies of any court orders (this includes any eviction case paperwork)
- Your lease
Gather these before you apply. The single biggest cause of delay is a missing document, and when you’re racing an eviction or a shut-off date, every day counts.
Action Steps: How to Apply This Week
You can apply three ways, and after you apply, you must complete an interview before a decision is made.
- Apply online. Go to ACCESS HRA and submit the Emergency Assistance / cash assistance application. This is the fastest way to get into the system and start the clock.
- Apply in person. Visit your nearest HRA Benefits Access Center. If you have an active eviction case or shut-off notice, bring the paperwork and explain the deadline — emergencies can be expedited.
- Call the HRA Infoline. Reach HRA at 718-557-1399, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with questions or to start the process by phone.
- If you’re at risk of entering shelter, contact Homebase first. Homebase is NYC’s free eviction-prevention program. A Homebase caseworker can help you put together a One Shot Deal application, connect you with legal help, and negotiate with your landlord — all at no cost.
One Shot Deal and Your Other Options
A One Shot Deal is the emergency tool, but it’s rarely the whole answer. If your rent is structurally unaffordable, a one-time grant buys you time — not a solution. Pair it with the longer-term programs the city offers. If you’re a low-income tenant or facing homelessness, look at CityFHEPS, the city’s main rental voucher, and the state-funded Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP). If you’re already receiving public assistance, your caseworker can talk you through how the grant interacts with your HRA Cash Assistance case.
And if the underlying crisis is an eviction your landlord shouldn’t be pursuing in the first place, get a tenant lawyer involved before you accept any deal. Free legal help is available citywide, and a lawyer may be able to stop the case entirely — which is even better than paying it off.
The Bottom Line
A One Shot Deal won’t fix a long-term affordability problem, but for a genuine one-time emergency — back rent, a shut-off, a fire, fleeing domestic violence — it’s one of the most direct lifelines the city has. The application is free, you can apply even if you’ve gotten one before, and the interview is the only mandatory step. If you’re staring at a deadline right now, start the application at ACCESS HRA today and call Homebase to get a caseworker in your corner.
Source: NYC Human Resources Administration / ACCESS NYC, Emergency Assistance (One Shot Deal) program page, last updated April 8, 2025.
