Alameda County has announced the opening of Round 2 of the Landlord Small Grant Recovery Program. This initiative, created with the support of with the California Apartment Association, addresses the challenges posed by the extended eviction moratorium, providing a crucial recovery tool for housing providers.

Supported by $975,000 from Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the program specifically targets small landlords in the unincorporated areas of the county who have been significantly impacted by the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligible landlords may receive one-time grants of $5,000, with no expectation of repayment, to assist in mitigating the financial hardships incurred during the pandemic. Applications are exclusively accepted online through the HCD’s secure JotForm portal until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2024. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to avoid any last-minute technical issues.

Landlords eligible for this grant include those with fewer than 12 employees who operate fewer than 25 units or a single property with no more than 35 units. Applicants must demonstrate revenue losses or property damage from March 2020 to April 2023, directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic and not compensated by the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Required documentation includes proof of property ownership in the unincorporated areas, evidence of financial loss during the eviction moratorium period, and a completed W-9 form. Questions regarding applications can be addressed to Stefani Katz at stefani.katz@acgov.org.

If the number of eligible applications exceeds the available funds, a lottery will be conducted to fairly distribute the grants. This process will be transparent, utilizing a random number generator and conducted live via Zoom to ensure fairness and accountability.

An information session is scheduled for noon on May 14, 2024, accessible via Zoom at a Public Information Session to discuss the program details and answer any queries.

Payments to successful applicants will be expedited and issued in the form of a single check sent to the business address provided in the application, following the completion of the lottery process and submission of all required documentation.