The expiration of California’s eviction moratorium and threats from state leaders that hundreds of millions of dollars remaining in rental assistance programs could soon be retracted if not dispersed at a quicker pace have public and private agencies in Pasadena striving to increase accessibility in the local area — and officials believe they’ve found a way.
California’s eviction ban ended earlier this week, leaving millions of residents at risk of losing their home as landlords begin the legal process to evict nonpaying tenants.
It’s not yet known how many local families will face eviction in the coming weeks, but more than 1,500 Pasadena households have applied for California’s COVID-19 rental relief program since its creation, according to the state’s dashboard. Only 688 have been served as of Monday, Sept. 27, the date of the document’s most recent refresh.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo acknowledged a day after the update — during the city’s Legislative Policy Committee meeting — that he has heard from officials with the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development that nearly 4,000 households in Pasadena boundaries are eligible for some form of rent relief.
“That said,” lobbyist Kyra Ross added during the meeting, “the White House has been concerned that the money really hasn’t gone out fast enough and that there’s been some question about whether or not the White House may try to pull some of that money back if California continues to not get it out fast enough.”
The news is especially troubling to housing advocates because more than $330 million remains earmarked for rental assistance in California, according to a state audit in September.
“For one reason or another, people just don’t know the money is there,” Pasadena Housing Director William Huang said in an interview this week, reiterating the fact that Pasadena residents are safe from eviction and still eligible to apply to programs, such as the state’s COVID-19 rent relief program.
In fact, Huang encouraged anybody who fears they may be affected by the expiration of the city’s moratorium in March 2022 to submit an application.
“In Pasadena, almost every application that has been submitted has already been deemed to be complete,” Huang said during Tuesday’s legislative commission meeting, “so there should be a lot more of this rental assistance money coming to Pasadena households.”
Michelle White, executive director of Affordable Housing Services, a Pasadena nonprofit, agreed that it’s paramount for Pasadena families to receive the aid they so desperately need. However she’s also heard of the snail pace process just as others have in recent weeks. And she’s witnessing the consequences firsthand.
“People are in a bind and what they are doing is moving,” White said. “So I anticipate a more homogenized city racially, ethnically and economically if we don’t do something to make sure that those who live and work in Pasadena — particularly service industry workers — get the assistance they need to keep their homes long-term.”
Because municipalities are extending emergency moratoriums six months at a time, White said many residents are feeling unstable, “because they can’t plan beyond half-a-year. Think what that means for families with children in school.”
Eviction isn’t the only problem either, according to White, who said rent hikes are also a concern for a workforce that isn’t receiving wage increases at a commensurate rate.
These are but a few of the reasons why she believes the city should address the low number of rental assistance applications with an information campaign similar to the recent push to vote.
“There are a lot of things in jeopardy at this point, and I think this is happening very quickly,” White said, noting she hasn’t discussed the issue with anybody on the council.
Gordo already appears to be on the same wavelength, stating in an interview Friday he agrees with White, which is why he has began discussions with U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, and HUD to bring assistive programming, so seniors, individuals without Wi-Fi and anybody else in need of help with an application can find it at home, in their community parks and libraries.
“Times of crisis require a deliberative and hands-on approach,” Gordo said, “and in this case it means bringing staff on to seek out those 4,000 households and assist them with technology and any other needs that will result in available rent relief dollars coming to residents of Pasadena to help keep them housed.”
The plans are still being finalized but Huang said Tuesday the city put in an application with Local Initiatives Support Corp., an organization that helps public and private agencies cooperate for the greater good, and now officials are waiting to hear back.
Gordo said he intends to follow up personally to encourage that “we start this partnership now because we don’t know when the dollars will ruin out.”
Both Huang and White encouraged residents not to wait in seeking out help online at housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/ or over the phone by dialing 833-430-2122.
“If you qualify,” Huang said, “then go apply for it immediately.”
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