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LA Renters Relief Program Starts Taking Applications Monday

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- A relief program aimed at helping thousands of renters in the city of Los Angeles who have been struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic begins accepting applications on Monday.

The application for the Emergency Renters Relief Program will be open for five days, starting at 8 a.m. Monday and closing at 11:59 p.m. Friday.

The program is available to all city renters, regardless of immigration status, officials said.

An estimated 50,000 Los Angeles households will be able to benefit from this program which officials say will provide a grant of up to $1,000 per month and $2,000 per household for rent paid directly to the landlord on the tenant's behalf.

Eligible applicants -- defined in part as those whose household income is at or below 80% of the area median income -- will be randomly selected once the registration period ends. For a one-person household, that equates to less than $58,450 annually. A family of four must make under $83,500 per year to qualify.

L.A. County's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the month of May was 20.9%, the highest level since the Great Depression.

The program allocates $103 million to provide a rent subsidy for low-income tenants who are unable to pay their rent because of circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic. $100 million of the funds come from the city's portion of the federal CARES Act money and the remaining $3 million are from city funds.

The program was first proposed by Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez, Councilman Herb Wesson and Councilman Mitch O'Farrell.

Interested renters can learn more about eligibility and apply online at hcidla.lacity.org or call the application hotline at 844-944-1868 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. for more information. People with hearing or speech impairments may call 844-325-1398 during the same hours.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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