July 20, 2020
Online Application Launches for Emergency Rental Assistance Program for Low-Income Households Affected by COVID-19
City of San Diego households may apply at covidapplication.sdhc.org
SAN DIEGO, CA — Households with low income that have experienced financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic can begin applying today at covidapplication.sdhc.org for one-time emergency financial help to pay their rent. (For the best user experience, the Chrome or Safari web browsers are recommended.)
“San Diego’s rental assistance program will directly assist individuals and families struggling to make rent and help recover the financial loss of landlords,” said City Councilmember Chris Ward, who proposed the City of San Diego’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. “We have protected our unsheltered. We have supported our small businesses. Now we must meet our obligations to the renters of this City.”
The program, which the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) administers for the City of San Diego, will provide up to $4,000 per household to help eligible families and individuals pay past-due and upcoming rent.
Online applications will be accepted starting today and continuing through August 7, 2020. Payments are expected to be made beginning in mid-August and continuing through September and potentially into October.
“The launch of this online application is a crucial first step to help provide this essential financial assistance as soon as possible to San Diego households struggling because of COVID-19,” SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry said.
Approximately 3,500 households could receive emergency rental assistance through the program, if all households received the maximum of $4,000. SDHC staff will coordinate with selected applicants and their landlord or property management company to disburse payments. All payments will be made directly to the landlord or property management company by direct deposit.
To be eligible for the program, households must meet the following criteria:
- The household lives at a City of San Diego address.
- Household income in January 2020, was at or below 60 percent of the San Diego Area Median Income, based on household size ($64,200 per year for a family of four).
- The household is NOT currently receiving any rental subsidies.
- The household is NOT currently a tenant of a property owned or managed by SDHC.
- The household does NOT have savings to meet their financial need.
- The household has eligible immigration status (U.S. citizen/U.S. National, lawful permanent resident/conditional permanent resident, a refugee/person seeking asylum or granted asylum).
- The household experienced hardship directly related to COVID-19.
All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will have the opportunity to be selected to receive assistance. Priority will be given to families with minor children and households with at least one person age 62 or older. Applications will be sorted and assigned numbers at random to identify the applicants who will receive help to pay their rent.
To apply, tenants need to have their landlord’s name, email address, mailing address and phone number. Applicants are also required to upload and submit supporting documents as part of their online application:
- Photo identification for the applicant (legal driver’s license, state ID, or US Passport)
- Most recent lease agreement
- Current utility bill
- Documentation of all sources of household income in January 2020 (pay stubs, 2019 tax returns, veterans benefits, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Cal-Works, child support, workers compensation, state disability, unemployment benefits, self-employment income, other)
- Documentation demonstrating loss of income or increase in medical expenses due to COVID-19 (dated on or after March 1, 2020)
SDHC will be partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs), who will assist with community outreach and will be available to help eligible households complete the online application.
Additional information about the program is available on an informational flyer, by phone at (619) 535-6921, or on SDHC’s website.
The City Council voted 9-0 on June 30, 2020, to authorize the expenditure of $15.1 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds for the emergency rental assistance program.
Philanthropic donations also are encouraged to support the program. Donations made payable to SDHC Building Opportunities Inc., SDHC’s nonprofit affiliate, may be made through the nonprofit’s GoFundMe charity page for this program. For more information about making a donation, please email covidrentdonations@sdhc.org
For information about this and other programs in response to COVID-19, please visit SDHC’s website, www.sdhc.org/about-us/coronavirus-covid-19/
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Media Contacts:
Ansermio “AJ” Estrada
Communications Manager
City Councilmember Chris Ward
619-227-0421
Scott Marshall
Vice President of Communications
San Diego Housing Commission
619-578-7138
