By Nigel Dura, Cal Matters, May 26, 2021
A new survey finds tenants are having a hard time accessing the state’s $2.6 billion emergency rent relief, which is contributing to the slow distribution of California’s marquee program to thwart a potential statewide eviction tsunami.
With one month until the end of the state’s eviction moratorium, the survey of 177 tenant advocates released Tuesday found that tenants had trouble applying in languages other than English and Spanish, and that a lack of digital proficiency and access to documents showing income losses due to COVID limited tenants’ ability to apply.
Tenant advocates also reported that tenants who cannot contact or who face harassment from their landlords were effectively locked out of full rent relief, since the state’s plan requires landlords to forgive 20% of rental debt in order to receive the remaining 80%. Tenants in that circumstance can still avoid eviction by paying 25% of their rental debt.
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