To address the tenant crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress allocated more than $ 45 billion in aid. More than six months after the money was authorized, most of it still remains to be distributed to families in need.
Only about a fifth of the funding, or $ 10 billion, has reached households as of the end of last month, new data from the federal Treasury Department shows.
Just because so much of that aid has yet to be spent doesn’t mean that tenants are no longer in trouble.
About 12 million adults accumulate rental debt, according to a recent report from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. An analysis conducted over the summer found that the average tenant in arrears owes about $ 3,700. In some areas, rental debts exceed $ 10,000 per household.
“Certainly there is a remaining need in most states and cities,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
However, efforts to disburse the money have been challenged by a cumbersome application process, advocates say. Still, they ask the tenants not to give up the help. Simply applying for assistance can prevent eviction.
In at least five states, those who have applied have the right to remain in their homes for as long as they receive the money. Those states are Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, and Washington state. Some of these policies offer tenants much more time. Those with a pending claim in Minnesota, for example, cannot be evicted until June 2022.
Here’s what struggling tenants need to know to access relief.
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
The National Low Income Housing Coalition has a list state by state of the more than 500 organizations that distribute federal money. The Consumer Financial Protection Office also has a new online tool to help you apply for assistance.
WHO QUALIFIES?
At least one household member must qualify for unemployment benefits or attest in writing that they lost income or incurred significant expenses due to the pandemic. You will also need to demonstrate a risk of homelessness, which may include a late rent or utility payment notice.
Additionally, your 2020 income level cannot exceed 80% of your area median income, although states have been directed to prioritize applicants who drop to 50% or less, as well as those who have been without. I work for 90 days or more.
Some state and local programs have set additional priorities. For instance, A background in California it is aimed at relief in Native American homes. Another in Oklahoma is sending the money first to those 62 and older.
HOW MUCH COULD I GET?
You could receive up to 18 months of assistance, including a combination of past and future rent payments.
If you have already been approved for rental funds, but are still behind, you can usually reapply as long as you request relief for a different period of time. The money usually goes to your landlord.
WHY DO I HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING HELP?
Housing advocates point to a number of problems, particularly with the arduous application processes.
Andrew Aurand, vice president for research for the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, said he saw a 45-page application. Another required tenants to document their income for the past six months.
“Public officials are more concerned about the alleged scammers getting this money than they are about the people who really need it,” said Dan Rose, assistant professor of sociology at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and organizer of Housing Justice. Now.
If you cannot meet a documentation requirement for a program application or are denied assistance from a certain fund, seek out other rental assistance resources in your area, experts say.
Yet another problem is that some landlords refuse to take the money from the programs because they do not want to agree to their terms, which may include a ban on evicting the tenant or raising their rent for a period of time.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY LANDLORD REFUSES TO TAKE THE MONEY?
Experts recommend that you ask the program if you can receive the funds directly. More than a quarter of the programs now allow so-called direct tenant assistance.
WHAT ABOUT THE EVICTION?
Most states have already lifted their eviction bans, but some remain in effect. Most renters in New Jersey and New York cannot be evicted from their homes until January.
You can find free or low-cost legal help in your state at Lawhelp.org. In some places, including Washington State, Maryland, and Connecticut, tenants facing eviction now have the right to an attorney.
NJ URGES TENANTS AND LANDLORDS TO APPLY FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, STILL FUNDS
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced Friday that it has so far disbursed $ 365 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds statewide to more than 40,000 households, but funds are still available and officials urge tenants and landlords to apply for help.
“We urge people in need who have not yet applied for the program to act now and claim rental assistance before it is too late,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner.
“Assistance can help cover rent arrears, current rent, and future rent, but people shouldn’t wait until the last minute to apply.”
DCA administers the Emergency Rental Assistance funds that were allocated to the state of New Jersey. The department received $ 353 million in ERA1 funds, all of which have been expended, and $ 272 million in ERA2 funds, which are currently being distributed.
In addition to the Emergency Rental Assistance awards that DCA received, the federal government provided additional funds to local New Jersey governments that administer their own rental assistance programs.
Open here to apply for the program.
Landlords can request assistance on behalf of a tenant. To do this, the landlord must:
Obtain the tenant’s signature on the application, which can be electronically documented.
Provide documentation to notify the tenant that the application has been submitted.
DCA encourages landlords to agree to a reasonable payment plan to cover rent owed and rent not covered by assistance.
The landlord agrees not to request eviction for non-payment of rent during the term of the assistance.
DCA delivered the $ 353 million in federal emergency rental assistance it had received through October 15, thus exceeding the federal deadline for distributing the funds by nearly a year.
The US Department of the Treasury reported last month that New Jersey was the first state in the nation to fully distribute ERA programs.
“These disbursement numbers demonstrate how incredibly committed DCA is to quickly and effectively providing rental assistance to New Jersey families who have been financially impacted by the pandemic and are unable to pay their rent,” Oliver said.
NEW YORK HAS FUNDS TOO
Governor Kathy Hochul also urges New Yorkers to apply for help.
“On the first day, I made a commitment to get federal rental assistance money out the door and into the hands of New Yorkers. Since then, we have broken the bureaucratic bottleneck and quadrupled the amount of pandemic aid distributed. With $ 913 million in the hands of New Yorkers, we are now among the national leaders in rental assistance distribution and ranked No. 1 in committed money. But with more than 250,000 applications submitted, it is clear that New York State tenants and landlords still continue to feel the devastating economic impacts of the pandemic, ”the president said in a press release Tuesday.
“Today, the federal Treasury Department will begin accepting applications through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program for states that need additional aid funds, and New York State will submit your application as quickly as possible. I thank President Biden and the United States Treasury for this opportunity and remain committed to ensuring this critical relief for New Yorkers. “
Visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/emergency-rental-assistance/ to apply for the program.
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