Rental assistance is available to those facing financial hardship due to a declared disaster
During disasters you may find yourself in financial hardship due to the loss of income during the disaster period or you are paying for secondary housing while your primary location is being repaired.
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By Murray Wennerlund published 10-5-2022 updated 10-5-2022

SUBJECT: Ā Ā Rental assistance offered to those in financial hardship

If you are struggling to pay rent due to financial hardship for any reason as a result of a state or federally declared disaster I would recommend that you apply for rental assistance with your state housing corporation.

Every state to include territories offers some type of rental and/or mortgage assistance. Typically your state uses HUD eligibility standards of 30% AMI or lower to qualify. During declared disasters this threshold is increased to include 80% AMI households. Additionally, during a disaster households earning up to 120% AMI can be granted a financial hardship to allow them into any of the standard housing assistance programs. It will be up to your state and if they want to process your request. Most states work from a fixed yearly budget that is expanded by allocations during disasters. Most will see between $20 and $30 million in allocations after major and severe disasters. The assistance is available from the first publication of the declared event and ends 20 to 22 months after the program launches. The slow down to accessing these funds is directly related to how your states housing assistance programs interacts with disaster victims. Contact your state office of community development for your housing rental and mortgage assistance.Ā  Ā 

Every state will have it's own website and phone number to apply.

For the State of Louisiana, visitĀ www.LAStateRent.ComĀ or callĀ 877-459-6555, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For parish specific follow the links below.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Renters who meet the following requirements should apply today:

  • Tenant resides in a rental unit.
  • At least one individual in the household qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19.
  • Tenant has received a past-due rent notice, past-due utility notice, or an eviction notice or is experiencing housing instability.

Ā Landlords may also apply.

WHAT's AVAILABLE?
The program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 focuses on paying past-due rent dating back to April 2020 and up to three months of future rent for eligible applicants. Priority is given to households where at least one member has been unemployed for more than 90 days due to COVID-19 and to households with very low income earnings which is 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). SeeĀ HUD AMI Information. You you do not know your AMI and are behind on rents apply for rental assistance anyway.

Payment is sent directly to your landlord.Ā 

For more information visitĀ www.LAStateRent.ComĀ or call 877-469-6555 for Louisiana

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