Money for renters and landlords during pandemic
Financial assistance is now available to Humboldt County renters who have been unable to pay rent and utilitie dating back to April 1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program, which is funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2021, will also cover 100% of future rent and utility bills.
Humboldt County is offering financial assistance to both tenants and landlords through the state run program. Once an application is submitted, it will go through an approval process by state officials. Eligibility is based on household income.
Anytime an executive order is passed at the state level, local governments are then responsible for adapting and implementing these orders into their communities.
According to Chant’e Catt, the Off Campus Housing Coordinator at HSU, Humboldt County officials have not updated their websites with new information about the moratorium since March 2020. However, Catt confirmed that if local governments fail to provide updated information, then defaulting to state guidelines is standard practice.
“Finding the resources like the housing assistance for renters and so forth, are imperative to support at this time,” Catt said.
The California government Housing Is Key website, housing.ca.gov, outlines some of the frequent questions about financial compensation for renters and landlords. Rent reimbursements allotted to landlords will be listed as a form of income. On the other hand, financial assistance granted to tenants will not be considered a form of income. Therefore, any funds received will not affect eligibility for other state programs, such as CalFresh and MediCal health insurance. These funds will be paid directly to their landlords or rental agency.
This same process will be used to pay back utility companies for any past and future utility bill reimbursements. Utility bills for basic amenities such as internet, electricity, water, and garbage will be limited to 12 months worth of payments.
Applications can be submitted online here and will be reviewed for eligibility. Anyone is welcome to apply, regardless of immigration status.
HSU: Chant’e Catt’s office is helping students, staff, and alumni with applications and case management in regards to housing insecurity. Their contact information is housingliaison@humboldt.edu or (707)-826-5509.
This website also provides resources on and off campus for housing and more.
Spanish Speakers: Centro del Pueblo is offering Humboldt County residents help with the application. They offer access to computers, scanners, and help filling out the application. They can be reached at (707) 683-5293 for more information.
Humboldt County Residents: Visit the Humboldt Tenant Landlord Collaboration Facebook page for more information on community based housing resources and posts.
