Northam announces $524 million in rent relief

(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will be directing more than a half of a billion dollars of federal stimulus money to fund the state’s rent relief program, he announced in a news conference Tuesday.

“Maintaining housing for all Virginians is in the interest of public health,” Senate Finance and Appropriations Chair Janet Howell, D-Reston, said in a statement. “This additional funding is vital to providing rent relief to prevent evictions and get financially distressed Virginians back on track with rent payments.”

To assist tenants struggling to pay their rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, Northam will direct $524 million to the Virginia Rent Relief Program. The money is funded through the Emergency Rent Relief Program included in the federal stimulus package. It is designed to prevent evictions through financial assistance to tenants and landlords.

Although a federal eviction restriction is currently in place to prevent some low-income tenants from being evicted, rent costs are still accumulating for those who are not paying. Virginia law requires that landlords offer payment plans to tenants who have been unable to pay their rent because of financial losses caused by the pandemic and subsequent restrictions on economic activity.

Toward the beginning of the pandemic, many Virginians lost their jobs because of restrictions that included the shutdown of dining in restaurants and bars, the capacity limits on event venues, and other rules. Although most businesses are now allowed to be open, certain restrictions that have remained in place include capacity restrictions for events and prohibiting alcohol sales in restaurants and dining establishments after 10 p.m.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have prioritized efforts to keep Virginians safely in their homes,” Northam said in a statement. “There continues to be an overwhelming need for additional relief to help those struggling to make ends meet. This new federal funding will provide an important lifeline to individuals and families, and bolster our ongoing work to address housing affordability in the Commonwealth. I urge eligible households to act quickly and work with their landlords to seek rental assistance through this program.”

Tenants seeking relief can check for eligibility of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s website or dial 2-1-1. Eligible tenants will be able to apply for relief for payments beginning on April 1, 2020, until three months from the announcement. A tenant may be eligible for up to 15 months of rental assistance.

“[The rent relief] is based on a unique, collaborative partnership between tenants and landlords to ensure both remain whole amid the pandemic,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement. “Our priority remains keeping our families in stable housing while also ensuring landlords are receiving the payments they need.”

To date, the program has provided more than $83.7 million in assistance for 24,294 rent and mortgage payments.

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