MORE State Rental Relief Funding May Be Forthcoming?

According to our sources within the California Housing and Community Development Department, the U.S. Department of Treasury has set November 30, 2021, as the date in which California (and other states) are being given the first opportunity to request reallocated money from other states. As reported in several previous communications, California was allocated $5.4 billion in rental relief funds to assist qualified renters with paying rental debt obligations incurred due to financial impacts associated with the pandemic.

Overall, approximately $46 billion in Federal funding has been provided for rental relief programs throughout the U.S., but so far, only $27 billion has been committed potentially leaving approximately $19 billion available for re-allocation among other jurisdictions. States such as Montana and North Dakota, for example, each hold unused funds totaling approximately $180 million, which funds are likely to be re-allocated elsewhere.

We have learned that California is requesting $1.9 billion in additional rental assistance funding. Other states such as Texas is requesting $1.0 billion in additional rental relief funds and New York is requesting an additional $0.9 billion.

This additional rental relief funding would be made available for state-run programs only and would not be allocated to local jurisdictions (City or County). Local jurisdictions would need to apply on their own for additional funding from re-allocated rental relief funds.