Los Angeles County’s second round of the Rent Relief Program, with a deadline of June 4th, offers landlords affected by the pandemic the opportunity to apply for a maximum subsidy of $30,000 per rental unit. The program, overseen by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and managed by The Center by Lendistry, has allocated over $74 million in funds. It was first initiated on December 12, 2023, and the second round of applications opened on May 20th this year.
During the pandemic, California’s policy allows tenants to pay reduced or no rent and continue to reside in rental properties, with landlords prohibited from evicting tenants based on non-payment of rent. The Rent Relief Program provides landlords with a subsidy of up to $30,000 per rental unit to cover overdue rent accrued since April 1, 2022, as well as other eligible expenses such as unpaid water, electricity, gas bills, landscaping fees, garbage collection fees, and late fees resulting from arrears.
The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs in Los Angeles County has stated that priority will be given to applications from vulnerable tenants and properties located in high-demand areas. However, submitting an application does not guarantee approval for assistance. If you applied in the first round but have not received a determination notification, check your “Rent Relief” account on the website for any pending tasks and contact the Rent Relief Customer Call Center to expedite processing.
Landlords who have received assistance under the program will undergo a review of their existing application to determine eligibility for additional rental debt relief. If eligible, beneficiaries will be notified by the program. It is advised not to reapply, as submitting duplicate applications may cause delays in processing.
The Rent Relief Customer Call Center can be reached at 877-849-0770, operating from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Applicants can also apply on the website lacountyrentrelief.com, where various language options including Chinese are available.
On May 29th, the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs in Los Angeles County held an online seminar in Chinese regarding the Rent Relief Program. Staff members from the Chinatown Service Center provided guidance on how to apply and addressed potential issues that applicants may encounter.
The host mentioned that immigration status will not be considered in the application process (regardless of citizenship status), but the property must be located in Los Angeles County (excluding the city of Los Angeles) and the original tenant must still reside there.
Key criteria for expedited processing include: household income of the landlord or tenant not exceeding 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) in Los Angeles, the property being situated in an area classified as “highest” demand in the Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 Vulnerability and Recovery Index, the landlord owning only one property with no more than 4 rental units, and agreeing not to pursue debts exceeding $30,000 from tenants (one-time write-off). Applications will be prioritized and grouped accordingly, with the review of the second group commencing after the completion of the first group’s evaluations.
Applicants are required to submit six types of documentation: 1. identification proof; 2. income proof; 3. ownership proof; 4. lease agreement proof; 5. evidence of rent arrears; 6. proof of eligible unpaid expenses. For more details, applicants can refer to the application website.
The host emphasized the importance of effective communication with tenants, timely response to reviewers’ requests from both landlords and tenants, and submission of requested documents within the specified timeframe for successful processing.
Furthermore, applicants are advised to provide honest and comprehensive information, including income from sources such as allowances, self-employment, retirement pensions, and unemployment benefits, in addition to wages, funds, and stocks. Any prior financial assistance received from other programs must be disclosed. Additionally, landlords and tenants cannot be the same individual. In case of application rejection, there is a 30-day window for appeals to request a reconsideration of the decision.