Article

Billions of Dollars in Federal Rental Aid Remains Stalled in Slow-moving States, Localities

12 September 2021

Colorado Newsline’s Laura Olson reports on the state of rental aid distribution.

Make it simpler to apply for rental assistance money. Allow landlords to apply on behalf of unresponsive tenants. And consolidate two overlapping federal programs aimed at getting financial help to struggling renters.

Those were among the proposals that U.S. House members weighed during a hearing Friday on how to better help states and localities that have moved far too slowly in getting federal emergency rental assistance funds to tenants who need that aid.

Of the $46.5 billion approved by Congress to help renters who fell behind on payments amid the pandemic, only $5.1 billion had been distributed by the end of July, according to Treasury data.

Some states and localities have done better than others, according to housing advocates who testified Friday before the House Financial Services Committee.

As of the end of July, only about 7% of Colorado’s total allotment had been distributed, according to The Colorado Sun.

New Jersey has distributed 61% of the state’s allocation from the first round of congressional rental assistance money.