Beginning Monday, July 27, the City’s Office of Community Development will begin taking applications for tenants residing in Orleans Parish in danger of being evicted.
With the federal ban on evictions as outlined in the Cares Act expiring today, as many as 12 million households across the nation are at risk, according to an estimate by the Urban Institute.
Until Congress acts to provide additional assistance to residents who have lost income due to COVID-19, local governments will struggle to fill the gap left by expiring federal unemployment insurance. And while federal intervention is critical to addressing the scale of the need, city officials say they will continue to work to identify opportunities for assistance that can be provided to our residents.
Funding for city’s program is limited and will not meet the scale of demand that exists. The program is open to members of vulnerable populations as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Applicants must have experienced a loss of income related to COVID-19 and are likely to become homeless within the next 30 days without financial assistance.
Potentially eligible households include the following:
- Households with children
- Households with disabled member(s)
- Households with elderly member(s) and/or household members with underlying medical conditions
Funding will be reserved for households with the greatest and most imminent need. Emergency rental assistance will be paid directly to the landlord. Landlords must agree to not evict the tenant or attempt to recapture any outstanding fees. The program will remain open until available funds are fully expended.
Interested persons should call the Office of Community Development at (504) 658-4200 or apply here online at NOLA Ready.