CD 13 Rental Assistance Program Opens Today

 

People who live within the boundaries of City Council District 13 (shown above) are now eligible for a new rental assistance program that opens to applications today – Monday, October 24.  This includes our Greater Wilshire-area communities of Larchmont Village, Ridgewood-Wilton, Oakwood-Maplewood-St. Andrews, St. Andrews Square, Western-Wilton, and Windsor Square, as well as nearby communities including Melrose Hill, Wilshire Center, Hollywood, East Hollywood, and more.

The program, which will provide a total of $3 million to local renters and their mom-and-pop landlords, is funded by the office of City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.

According to the program’s website, eligibility requirements include:

• Tenants’ pre-tax household income for 2021 or 2022 must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and a tenant must owe their landlord unpaid rent on or after April 1, 2022. (e.g. A family of 2 with an annual household income of up to $76,250 would qualify. A family of 4 less with a household income of up to $95,300 would also qualify.)
• The program will pay $5,000 in rental aid for eligible households.
• Applications can be filed online, by telephone, or via smartphone. Applicants who do not have access to a computer can apply by calling the Rental Assistance hotline, which opened at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 24, 2022. The Hotline will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Applications will be accepted online from 8:00 a.m. Monday, October 24, 2022, through Friday, November 4, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.
• Renters living in apartments, single-family homes and condominiums may apply.
• Applicants must provide documentation that they live in the rental unit and pay rent. (This could be either a lease or rental agreement, or “some other document that connects them to that address, such as a notice from the landlord or a utility bill.”)
• Tenants need to be behind in rent that was due on or after April 1, 2022.
• Tenants will need also need to provide:

– Proof of identification, such as a government or military ID
– Proof of past due rent owed to the landlord on or after April 1, 2022, such as a landlord notice, rent receipt, or rental ledger, etc.
– Proof of household income, such as a tax return, 1099 form or employer contact information, etc.
– A signed and completed CD 13 Rental Subsidy Tenant Participation Agreement.

For more information on required documents and alternatives, see the program’s application form.

Other important information:

• Subtenants are eligible to apply, but the property landlord will receive the payments, not the master tenant on the lease.
• Payments will be made directly to the landlord to whom rent is paid. Their information must be included on the application.
• The financial assistance provided is a grant, not a loan.  It does not need to be repaid.
• Renters who receive Section 8 housing choice vouchers, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), or live in project-based Section 8 or public housing are eligible to participate in the program.

As mentioned above, mom-and-pop landlords are also eligible to apply for assistance. According to the website, ““Mom & Pop” landlord is defined as owning no more than four rental units plus a single-family home in the City of Los Angeles.” Like tenant applications, landlords are eligible to receive up to $5,000 per tenant household.

Landlord applicants  must provide:

• Proof of Identification
• Proof of property ownership
• A completed W-9 form
• Proof of the tenant’s past due rent on or after April 1, 2022
• A completed CD 13 Rental Aid Landlord Participation Agreement.

For more information, see the website and application form links above.