California Obligates $1B in COVID-19 Rent and Utility Assistance

This week, the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state reached a significant milestone as part of California’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program for residents who have suffered financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. California has obligated more than $1 billion in funding in rent and utility assistance to assist over 74,000 additional households statewide. More than $526 million of the $1 billion in rental and utility assistance has already been distributed to 44,432 low-income California households experiencing financial hardship.

According to the Governor’s Office, more than 243,000 applications for assistance have been received, and more than $2.2 billion in rent and utility assistance is currently requested and is pending eligibility verification and fraud prevention screening.

In addition to providing 100 percent of back rent and prospective rent for eligible residents, AB 832 signed into law earlier this summer extends state-level eviction protections through the end of March 2022 for households at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

Additional information on the state’s COVID-19 rent and utility assistance program is available here.