Los Angeles’ Emergency Renters Assistance Program is on the brink of its application deadline. Designed for low-income tenants who have accrued rent debt due to COVID-19, the window to apply closes on Monday, Oct. 2.
With the support of Measure ULA’s $18.4 million budget, this program aims to alleviate the financial burdens the pandemic imposed on many. Applications have been accepted since Sept. 19 and conclude at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2.
Those wishing to apply can do so online at [housing.lacity.org]housing.lacity.org or by phoning 888-379-3150, lines open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday.
To be considered, applicants must meet criteria outlined by the L.A. Housing Department:
- Living within the city (as confirmed at neighborhoodinfo.lacity.gov).
- A household member having faced financial hardships, such as job loss since March 2020.
- Outstanding rent from April 2020 onwards.
- A household income below 80% of the area’s median.
This is L.A.’s fourth effort to offer rental assistance since the pandemic began, with prior rounds assisting numerous residents.
Fred Sutton, CAA’s senior vice president of local public affairs, commented on the program. “We should put 99% of available resources into programs like this,” Sutton said, as reported by LAist. “And frankly, this is just a small sliver of the funding that is potentially available, depending on what happens with ULA. It should be much more robust.”
While this application phase winds down, renters should be aware of another deadline: February 2024 is the final date to clear rent arrears from October 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022.
Anna Ortega, assistant general manager of the L.A. Housing Department, highlighted another opportunity on the horizon for landlords. “That will be an opportunity for landlords whose tenants may not have applied in the first phase to submit their application and then the program will review the landlord’s eligibility and invite the landlord’s tenants to also apply,” Ortega said, as reported in a City News Service article.
