Council to Vote on Emergency Rental Assistance Program Guidelines

After being cancelled last week due to the county curfew, the City Council is scheduled to vote on Emergency Rental Assistance Program guidelines on Monday.

The program is designed to assist low-income residential tenants to maintain their housing and/or to reduce the amount of back-rent owed as a result of the economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the program, the city will spend $1,000,000 to implement the Program and make grants to assist approximately 220 low income renter households in the city.

According to the guidelines, eligible households can receive grants for up to three months of past due rent on behalf of eligible households, not to exceed $4,500 per rental unit, if their annual gross income does not exceed low income limit, reside in Pasadena, have notified landlords of the applicant’s inability to pay rent due to the pandemic and have a current residential rental agreement.

“I’m grateful to the Housing Department staff for exploring ways that we can support tenants in need and I’m also happy that we have these additional dollars coming into our city in this time of crisis,” said Housing Activist Ryan Bell. “However the process is fatally flawed if the goal is to ensure that tenants remain in their housing. The proposal reflects a landlord first approach that dominates this discourse.

“Here’s a better idea: do what the Pasadena Tenants Union has been demanding. Forgive back rents for tenants who have a COVID-19 reason for their inability to pay. Then put landlords through this ridiculous gauntlet of means testing to see if they qualify for assistance. Tenants first!”

Households that receive any form of government rental assistance, or that reside in HUD-assisted multifamily housing are not eligible to apply for program assistance, the Housing Department said.

The recommended guidelines also specify the application, selection, and award process, which consist of submitting the applications online only through the Department of Housing website, a 14-day application window during which the Housing Department will determine household eligibility, and scoring and ranking applications based on a point system.

Applicants will get higher points if they have been continuous tenants in Pasadena for a minimum of five years, if the household has at least one minor as a member, if they have only one adult income earner, if they consist of four or more persons, and if the household has at least one member who is a senior or has a disability.

The guidelines also include tie-breaker procedures in the event of tie scores.

According to the guidelines, selected applicants will have 10 calendar days to submit a program application. Grant awards will be made by the City through direct payment to the landlord.

The Housing Department said adoption of the guidelines will also authorize the City Manager to revise the adopted guidelines from time to time as may be necessary to implement the program.

In March, the city adopted an ordinance which, among other things, imposed a moratorium on tenant evictions if the tenant is able to show an inability to pay rent due to circumstances related to the Coronavirus pandemic. Under the eviction moratorium, tenants are provided a six-month period after the local emergency is lifted, to pay outstanding back-rent to their landlord.