The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has launched the LA County Rent Relief Program, a program offering over $46 million to assist landlords during the ongoing pandemic. This program apparently excludes properties located in the City of Los Angeles. Below is a breakdown:
The Details
- Geared Towards “Mom and Pop” Owners: With a focus on aiding small landlords who own 1 to 4 rental units, the Program aims to reduce tenant evictions due to rent arrears and ensure continuity of housing in the community.
- How it Will Work: Starting mid-December, landlords can apply for the LA County Rent Relief Program by visiting the portal here. Applicants will receive free multilingual technical support from community partners to guide them through the application process and assist with gathering necessary documentation.
- How The Funds Will be Allocated: Funds will be allocated to qualified applicants across diverse cities and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, excluding the City of Los Angeles. Priority will be given to those showing the greatest need, guided by criteria including properties located in high-need areas as identified by the LA County Equity Explorer Tool, and income levels at or below 80% of the LA County Area Median Income (AMI).
Issues from Past Rent Relief Efforts
- Rent Assistance Falls Short: The LA County $46 Million Rent Relief Program comes on the heels of the Emergency Renters Assistance Program put out by the City of Los Angeles in October of this year which allocated $18.4 Million to landlords. Prior to that was California’s “Housing is Key” program, a $5 billion fund set up during the pandemic also to help struggling tenants.
- Partial Payments and Missing Funds: Through these past programs, many property owners have reported receiving only partial amounts of their approved rent relief credit, with others reporting that they received nothing. Los Angeles area landlords are owed more than $1 billion in back rent from the pandemic, according to data compiled by National Equity Atlas.
