Preventing an Eviction and Debt Epidemic
Delivering Effective Emergency COVID-19 Rental Assistance in California
Survey of rental assistance providers reveals Californians experiencing deep housing and health insecurity face formidable challenges accessing rent relief
With California’s eviction moratorium scheduled to expire on June 30, more than 700,000 California households behind on rent, and less than half of one percent of our state’s total federal emergency pandemic rental assistance funds paid out, California faces an eviction epidemic. Legislators have just one month to fix SB 91, the law governing eviction protections and rent relief, to prevent a wave of evictions that would be a humanitarian crisis and an economic and public health disaster. Across the state, tenants and organizations providing aid have reported households who need assistance but are saddled with debt because they are ineligible or facing hurdles in applying. Organizations across California have reported tenants facing eviction, becoming unhoused, and choosing between paying for essential medical care, food, utilities, and rent. To better understand the best ways to fix SB 91, BARHII, Housing Now!, and PolicyLink surveyed 177 people who understand the program the best: those conducting intake and outreach for state and local emergency rental assistance programs.