Long Beach has extended the deadline for residential landlords and tenants to apply for emergency assistance to pay overdue rent charged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The last day to apply is now July 11.
The Long Beach Emergency Rental Assistance Program originally allocated a little under $30 million of federal COVID-19 relief funding to provide assistance to tenants who were struggling to pay rent throughout the pandemic. Additional money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act that passed in March has been added to the program, increasing its funding to $51.4 million, according to a city press release.
To be eligible for the program, tenants must currently be renting the unit they need help paying for, and they must meet the following criteria:
- A household income at or below 80% of the area median income
- One or more individuals within the household has experienced a financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic
- One or more individuals within the household can prove a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability
California also enacted a rental assistance program, but city officials urged renters not to apply to the state program if the unit they live in is in Long Beach.
The boost in rental assistance money could help stave off an expected wave of evictions after the current state moratorium expires at the end of June.
Applications can be submitted on the city’s website by clicking here. The program’s support line can be reached at 833-358-5372, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Here’s what you need to know before applying for rental assistance in Long Beach