CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program

CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program: Easier to Apply

Applications for rent and utility assistance through the COVID-19 Rent Relief program have been simplified and financial help is available to income-eligible households.
Income-eligible renters and their landlords who have been impacted by COVID-19 and need help with unpaid or upcoming rent or utilities can verify eligibility and apply immediately by visiting HousingIsKey.com, or by calling 833-430-2122.

WHO CAN APPLY?
Renters: If you are an income-eligible renter, you can apply on your own and receive help for unpaid rent, dating back to April 1, 2020, even if your landlord doesn’t participate. You can also receive financial assistance to pay future rent or utilities.
If you are an income-eligible renter whose landlord does participate in the program, you will need to complete the joint application to be approved for assistance. Once your landlord applies, you will be notified to submit information to complete the application process. Landlords: If you are a landlord and participate in the COVID-19 Rent Relief program, you can get reimbursed directly for your eligible renters’ unpaid rent dating back to April 1, 2020.

WHAT HELP CAN YOU GET?
Help with Rent: Assistance is available for unpaid rent dating back to April 1, 2020, as well as future rent payments. Help with Utilities: Assistance is also available for past due utility payments dating back to April 1, 2020, or for future utility bills, both of which may be paid directly to the utility provider at 100% of cost but are limited to a total of 12 months.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU KNOW?
We have simplified our application significantly. It now takes less time to complete, requires fewer documents to be uploaded, and offers helpful tips throughout the application.

Assistance from the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program does NOT count as earned income for renters and will NOT affect eligibility for any other state benefit assistance programs, such as CalFresh and CalWORKS.
All applicant information is kept private and will not be shared. Income-eligible applicants may qualify regardless of immigration status and will not be required to show proof of citizenship.

HOW TO APPLY
To check eligibility and apply, visit HousingIsKey.com or call 833-430-2122. Once your application has been processed, you will be notified about the application status and next steps.

If you need assistance in another language or need help checking eligibility, filling out your application or uploading paperwork, schedule an appointment with a local organization near you by calling 833-687-0967.