SLO County tenants got $3.8 million in COVID rent relief. How to apply as eviction ban ends
California’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium may have expired, but San Luis Obispo County tenants and landlords can still access millions of dollars in state relief funds to help pay past or future rent.
The statewide ban on evictions ended on Oct. 1, meaning landlords can begin the legal process of removing tenants for not paying rent.
The moratorium — meant to help renters struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic — prevented landlords from evicting tenants for not paying rent, as long as the tenants provided declarations explaining their hardships.
In spite of the end of the moratorium, tenants can continue to obtain state emergency assistance funds to pay their rent debt or future rent — and applying for the money can protect them from evictions, as well.
Rent relief dollars have been available since March, and 400 households in San Luis Obispo County have received a more than $3.8 million in total aid, as of Tuesday.
A total of about 3,000 county households may be eligible for help and in need of rental assistance, said Janna Nichols, 5Cities Homeless Coalition executive director.
Where are rent relief funds going?
A large chunk of funds — more than $1.4 million — has gone to tenants living in unincorporated communities in San Luis Obispo County, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Tenants in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande have received the most funds of those renting in cities.
About 53% of relief funds have gone to extremely low income households. Families of four in this bracket earn $29,350 or less per year, according to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards.
Very low income county tenants — households of four earning $48,900 or less per year — received 30% of aid dollars.
Now that the eviction moratorium has expired, community groups and nonprofit organizations are urging tenants and landlords to apply for rent relief as soon as possible.
Several local organizations — including 5Cities Homeless Coalition and California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLA) — have state contracts to publicize the emergency rental assistance program and help tenants and landlords fill out and track applications.
Nichols said 5Cities Homeless Coalition has seen an uptick in calls about rental assistance since the state allowed evictions to begin again.
“Because the moratorium is over, people think the program has ended,” Nichols said. “And it certainly has not.”
She said people who need rent relief are sometimes embarrassed to seek help and think someone else could use the money more. But Nichols reminds potential applicants that the relief funds could ease their financial struggles and allow them to help their families by doing things like providing better food for their children.
“Why would you not want to improve your standing with your household?” she asked.
What are SLO County tenants facing post eviction moratorium?
Mujeres de Acción, a North County community organization, held a renters’ support workshop on Sept. 26 at St. William’s Catholic Church in Atascadero to help tenants understand their rights and apply for rent relief.
Yessenia Echevarria, who heads Mujeres de Acción, said the event showed that many people are still unaware of their rights and the rent relief program.
“We’re just seeing a lot of examples where I think the biggest missing link is probably education of what is available and how does it work, and also just really encouraging folks that if they do need the help that they do apply for this,” Echevarria said.
“Our goal with Mujeres de Acción for our housing workshop was to be a resource to the Spanish-speaking folks,” she said, adding that “we do see a lot of concerns.” “Are these resources free? Even if they are free ... people thought that we might be charging, and that was not the case.”
Echevarria said people are also worried about what will happen if their rent relief applications are denied. She’s already hearing about tenants being asked to leave their housing, and they don’t have enough money to find another place to live.
“My biggest concern is now that it is Oct. 1, we’re gonna start seeing a lot of evictions,” Echevarria said. “And where do people go?
“I mean, people are financially stressed. If people are ... financially already struggling, do we think that they’re going to be able to come up with a deposit, first month’s rent and last month’s rent? And chances are, they’re going to move to a new location where their rent is higher. So it really creates issues for those who are already struggling.”
What to know about rent relief and evictions in San Luis Obispo County
This information came from Stephanie Barclay, San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation (SLOLAF) legal director, as well as Cal Matters, the Judicial Council of California and the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
What if I still owe rent from 2020 or earlier this year?
If you still owe rent from March 1 to Aug. 31, 2020, your landlord can’t evict you, as long as you provided a declaration explaining you were experiencing COVID-19-related financial hardship.
As long as you paid 25% of your rent from Sept. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021, and provided the hardship declaration, you’re also safe from eviction. However, the protections only apply if your landlord is evicting you for not paying rent, not if they’re trying to remove you for other reasons.
Starting in October, you must pay your full rent. And your landlord can sue you for all the missed rent starting on Nov. 1.
That’s why it’s so important to apply for rent relief. You can put the assistance money toward past rent or future rent. And applying for the program can also help you in an eviction case. Visit housingiskey.ca.gov or call 833-430-2122 to apply.
What should I do if my landlord sends me an eviction notice?
Eviction is a legal process, and renters have a right to defend themselves in court. Your landlord cannot lock you out of your rental unit — only the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office can do this after you go to court.
If you receive a three-day notice to “pay or quit,” you should immediately contact SLOLAF or CRLA for legal help.
You should also apply for rental assistance, if you haven’t already. Applying for rental assistance within 15 days of receiving this kind of notice can help you defend yourself against an eviction.
This is also important to know: If your landlord is trying to evict you for not paying rent, they must first apply for rental assistance before the case can move forward. This protection will remain in place through March 2022.
Who’s eligible for rent relief?
All renters who can declare they’ve experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and meet certain income requirements can qualify for rental assistance. Visit housingiskey.ca.gov or call 833-430-2122 to apply.
In San Luis Obispo County, families of four earning $78,250 or less per year would qualify for rental assistance. To check your family’s income eligibility, you can use this HUD calculator.
Tenants are eligible regardless of immigration status, and you won’t be required to show proof of citizenship.
Renters and landlords can apply for unpaid rent dating back to April 1, 2020. Tenants can also apply for assistance with future rent and utility payments. For example, if you previously paid your rent with a credit card or high-interest loan, you can apply for future assistance to help you pay off your debt.
Need legal advice or help applying for rental assistance?
All resources listed are free to access, and most provide assistance in English and Spanish. To apply for rental assistance, visit housingiskey.ca.gov or call 833-430-2122.
Help with evictions and legal questions
- San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation: 805-543-5140, slolaf.org
- California Rural Legal Assistance, San Luis Obispo office: 805-544-7994, crla.org
Help with filling out rental assistance applications
- 5Cities Homeless Coalition: 805-574-1638, info@5chc.org. Help is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Salvation Army, San Luis Obispo Corps: 805-544-2401
- United Way of San Luis Obispo County: Dial 211
- California Rural Legal Assistance, San Luis Obispo office: 805-544-7994, extension 1514. Help is available Monday through Friday, and in-person help is available on Tuesday.
This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 1:46 PM.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct Stephanie Barclay’s title. Barclay is legal director for the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation (SLOLAF).
