The City of Long Beach Development Services Department is now accepting applications from landlords and tenants for the Long Beach Emergency Rental Assistance Program (LB-ERAP), the new program that was established under the Long Beach Recovery Act approved last month by the City Council.
“This assistance program is an important part of the Long Beach Recovery Act and will provide valuable and timely help for renters and property owners,” Mayor Robert Garcia said. “We need to work together to prevent evictions and lessen the economic impacts caused by the pandemic.”
Applications may be submitted via an online information and service portal that can be found at longbeach.gov/erap. The application period will close on May 12, 2021, if enough applications have been received to exhaust the funding. If funding remains, the application period will be extended on a weekly basis until all available funds are obligated.
LB-ERAP, funded through the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, is designed to assist landlords and income-eligible tenants who have experienced financial loss or hardship due to COVID-19 through rental assistance. The program will serve to implement the tenant protection laws enacted by the State of California.
LB-ERAP was established to provide assistance exclusively to landlords and tenants in Long Beach and is separate from the State’s rental assistance program. Applicants should not apply to the State program if the unit for which they are seeking assistance for is located in Long Beach.
To be eligible, tenants must rent in Long Beach and meet the following criteria:
- The household has a household income at or below 80% of the area median income.
- One or more individuals within the household has experienced a financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Other program details are as follows:
- The program will prioritize households at or below 50% of the area median income.
- The program will prioritize assisting households with past due rents and lower-income tenants who have been unemployed for 90 days or more and who are at risk of housing instability.
- The program will prioritize paying outstanding past due rent and utilities before addressing future rents and utility payments.
- Landlords with one or more eligible tenants can apply to get reimbursed for 80 percent of each eligible tenant’s unpaid rent between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, if they agree to waive the remaining 20 percent of unpaid rent for that specific time period.
- If a landlord is applying on behalf of their tenant, the tenant must also complete the application and provide necessary documentation.
- If a tenant is eligible but their landlord chooses not to participate in LB-ERAP, they may apply on their own for 25 percent of the unpaid rent between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
- LB-ERAP will help income-eligible tenants pay utilities, both for past due bills and future payments. Tenants can also apply for up to 25 percent of their rent for up to three months of future rent.
To learn more about the LB-ERAP’s various income and eligibility guidelines, go to longbeach.gov/erap.
For additional information about housing in Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/lbds or view the City’s Resources for Homeowners, Renters and Landlords.
