Emergency Rental Assistance Program Kicks Off to Assist Renters with Limited Means Impacted by COVID-19
Applications Accepted Through May 31, 2020
Los Angeles County, May 13, 2020 – In response to renters with limited means affected by COVID-19, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorized the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) to utilize Community Development Block Grant Program coronavirus (CDBG-CV) response funds to create and administer the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance (COVID-19-ERA) Program.
CDBG-CV funding is made possible by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act, which was signed by the President on March 27, 2020, and is distributed to eligible states and local governments by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The County Board of Supervisors created the COVID-19-ERA Program with CDBG-CV funding to provide emergency rental assistance grants to income-eligible households economically impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic through job loss, furlough, or reduction in hours or pay.
Emergency rental assistance grants are rental payments made on behalf of an income-eligible household, up to $1,000 per month, for three months to maintain housing and/or to reduce rental payment delinquency in arrears. Over $3.7 million has been made available to residents living in the unincorporated areas of the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Supervisorial Districts. Residents can receive assistance by contacting 211 L.A. via phone at 2-1-1 or through their website at 211la.org/covid-rental-help. To be considered for this program, applications must be received by May 31, 2020.
Emilio Salas, Acting Executive Director of the LACDA, said, “The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program created by the Board of Supervisors will provide a dual benefit for two segments of our communities that are hurting. For income-eligible renters that were impacted by the pandemic, it will provide a lifeline to assist in paying their rent. For our property owner community, many of whom are mom and pop providers of rental housing, it will provide help to meet their mortgage obligations on rental properties. The LACDA is pleased to work with the Board, our partner agencies, and 2-1-1 to kick off this vital program.”
As funding for these federal programs relies on Census data, the County and the LACDA encourage all County residents to complete the 2020 Census and be counted. In addition to mailing it in, residents can complete it online this year at my2020census.gov. It is imperative that the County has an accurate count to maximize the receipt of federal resources.
