The City of Long Beach has been awarded a $13.1 million California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Cashflow Loan to provide additional funding for the Long Beach Emergency Rental Assistance Program (LB-ERAP). The funds will be used to continue to provide rent and utility assistance to tenants and landlords who submitted complete applications on or before March 31, 2022.
“The pandemic is still having a financial impact on many residents and we must continue to get assistance to those most in need,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This funding will help us support more people here in Long Beach and we’re grateful to the State for helping us expand these efforts.”
In April 2021, the City launched LB-ERAP as part of the Long Beach Recovery Act to assist landlords and income-eligible tenants who have experienced financial loss or hardship due to COVID-19. As the City received additional federal funding through the year, the duration and scope of the $64 million program was extended multiple times to enable the City to seek more eligible applicants.
To date, the City has received nearly 12,285 completed LB-ERAP applications and provided or approved over 7,250 rent and utility payments totaling $58.8 million. Roughly 97% of these payments were made on behalf of residents earning less than 50% of the area median income.
The Cashflow Loan funds will enable the City to provide assistance to approximately 1,300 additional applicants that have already applied, and have been reviewed and approved by the City, with a continued focus on assisting the lowest income residents. The funding, however, is restricted to rental and utility assistance payments for eligible applicants, and payments are limited to rent and utility bills that were due on or before March 31, 2022.
The City stopped accepting new LB-ERAP applications on March 31, 2022.
Existing LB-ERAP applicants with questions about the status of their application may contact the LB-ERAP support line at 833.358.5372 for assistance weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Long Beach Development Services Department is continuing to host in-person pop-ups to provide assistance to existing applicants by appointment at various locations throughout the city.
“LB-ERAP has provided critical rental relief for individuals and families throughout the pandemic,” said Long Beach Development Services Acting Director Christopher Koontz. “Our team remains committed to doing all that we can to offer support to renters and landlords in their greatest time of need, and we are thankful to the State for helping us achieve this goal.”
The City Council last month adopted a resolution to request and accept HCD Cashflow Loan funds. The funding provides support, in the form of a forgivable loan, to cities and counties throughout the state to continue offering rental relief for eligible households impacted by the pandemic. Established by a State budget act known as Senate Bill 115, cities are able to request Cashflow Loans to be repaid using future federal funding.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently voted to extend the COVID-19 Tenant Protections Resolution, previously known as the Los Angeles County Eviction Moratorium, through December 31, 2022. The resolution extends certain protections to residential tenants affected by the COVID-10 pandemic. To learn more, visit lacounty.gov/noevictions.
For additional information, visit longbeach.gov/erap.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The city also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.
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About Long Beach Development Services
Serving residents, businesses and the community at large, the award-winning Long Beach Development Services Department sets a standard for high-quality, innovative urban planning and livability efforts that create more progressive and sustainable communities within the diverse City of Long Beach. Through a variety of development, code enforcement, housing and neighborhood services and building activities, the Department builds a better future for the city while also honoring its unique past. For more information, visit longbeach.gov/lbds. Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.