Last day for people affected by COVID-19 to apply for LA rent assistance
LOS ANGELES - Friday is the last day for people to apply for the Los Angeles Emergency Renters Assistance Subsidy Program, which will provide financial aid to households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The application window closes at 11:59 p.m.
Interested renters can apply online at hcidla.lacity.org. People with limited online access may call the Application Hotline at 844-944-1868, between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. People with hearing or speech impairments may call 844-325-1398 during the same hours.
The program is open to all renters, regardless of immigration status.
The subsidy will provide a grant of up to $1,000 per month, with a maximum grant of $2,000 per household, and will be paid directly to the tenant's landlord on behalf of the tenant.
On Thursday, the Housing and Community Investment Department of Los
Angeles said it had received more than 180,000 applications for the program,
although there's only enough funding for 50,000 households.
Although the amount of people applying for the rent assistance was high on the first day, Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Monday that the program is not based on a first-come, first-served basis, and that applications will be selected randomly, if they meet certain requirements.
According to HCIDLA, the requirements for applicants to pre-qualify for renters assistance are:
-- People who reside in multifamily rental units in the city of Los Angeles;
-- People who have proof of their tenancy;
-- People whose total household income of all adults, 18 years of age or older, living in the home is at or below 80% of area median income level prior to March 13; and,
-- Households must provide documentation that they have suffered a loss or reduction of income due to COVID-19.
RELATED: Stay up to date on all coronavirus-related information
Applicants will be updated on the status of their application within 10 days, during which applicants should submit supporting documentation to complete the verification process, HCIDLA stated.
"We know people throughout the city of Los Angeles need assistance, particularly our working poor and disenfranchised communities, who are hit
hardest by both the health and economic impacts of COVID-19,'' Council
President Nury Martinez said on Monday.
"Demand will be high and serve as a reminder that the federal government must offer billions more in housing assistance if we are going to help all who need assistance to remain in their homes during and after this pandemic.''
The program allocates $103 million to provide a rent subsidy for low-income tenants in the city of Los Angeles who are unable to pay rent due to
circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. HCIDLA officials are calling it
the largest coronavirus-related emergency rental assistance program in the
nation.
The majority of the funds -- $100 million -- come from the city's federal CARES Act stimulus money.
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