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California pandemic rent relief program short on funds

By KTVU staff
Published  January 18, 2022 10:52am PST
California
KTVU FOX 2

California rent relief program low on funds

Requests for rent relief from residents in California are outweighing funds available in the program.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California's pandemic rent relief program is reportedly running low on money.

The state has received nearly $7 billion in requests for rent help and it's coming up short as the program nears expiration in March, according to the East Bay Times.

Housing advocates said there has been steady demand for assistance in the program designed to protect people from displacement or eviction. 

The state requested an additional $1.9 billion from the federal emergency rental assistance program to cover landlord and tenant debts, but last week received just $62 million in additional funds, according to the report.

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Oakland has started a waitlist, anticipating demand will exceed supply. The state is still accepting applications.

"It’s premature in this moment to know if we are over-subscribed," said Geoffrey Ross, deputy director of the state department of housing and community development, "because we don’t know how much more funding we will receive."