ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — The County of Orange began accepting applications Monday for a rental assistance program from eligible home renters struggling to pay rent or other bills due to the impact of the coronavirus-catalyzed downturn.

The county received $65 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to launch an emergency rental assistance program to assist rental households with their unpaid bills. Renters in Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Irvine do not qualify for this program since their city has a similar program.

What You Need To Know

  • Orange County launches a new emergency rental assistance program to help renters struggling amid the pandemic

  • The county received $65 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury

  • Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed a bill extending the state's eviction moratorium through June

  • To qualify for the county's program, a renter must prove he/she can't pay their rent or utility due to COVID-19 related reasons

“Orange County renters have had to bear an incredible burden throughout this pandemic,” said Andrew Do, the chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and first district representative. “Our rental assistance will help keep our most vulnerable community members from losing their home and a sense of security in the midst of this ongoing crisis.”

The emergency assistance program comes 10 months after the coronavirus pandemic began. The K shaped economic recovery has been a boon for some middle-and-high-income earners but devastating for many low-income earners in the county. Orange County’s unemployment rate is at 6.40% ending in November 2020, compared to 2.60% the previous year.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last week extended the state’s eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. The previous moratorium would have expired at the end of January.

The bill prohibits landlords from evicting tenants if they can prove that they can’t pay all or part of the rent due to a COVID-19-related reason.

“Once again, California is leading the way by enacting the strongest eviction protections in the nation, which will provide relief for millions of Californians dealing with financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19,” said Newsom in a news release. “This law not only provides greatly needed support for tenants but also provides relief to small property owners in need of assistance to pay for mortgages, thanks to $2.6 billion in federal stimulus funding.”

Orange County's emergency rental assistance program applies to renters, who have a combined household income at or below the 80% median income, provide documents demonstrating their inability to pay rent or utility bills due to COVID-19, or at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Orange County officials said landlords could apply for the program on behalf of their tenants, as long as their tenant co-signs the application.