State Hosting Virtual Information Sessions on Louisiana’s Covid-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Renters and Landlords Can Apply for Help with Past-Due Rent as well as Future Rent

BATON ROUGE, LA. (March 25, 2021) —The Louisiana Housing Corporation and Louisiana’s Office of Community Development will co-host a series of virtual information sessions to provide landlords and renters with information about the State of Louisiana’s U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program expands upon an earlier program to provide emergency financial assistance to Louisiana renters and landlords experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and is in addition to emergency rental assistance that was available during the summer of 2020.

Each virtual session will cover basic program information, including an overview of the program and available assistance, details on eligibility criteria, the application process, and available resources at the community level. Attendees may participate in the session that best fits their schedule, by computer or phone.

Information regarding how to join a virtual session can be found at www.LAStateRent.com or by calling 877-459-6555. These sessions are for information purposes only and there is no commitment to participate in the relief program or requirement to attend the sessions.

The schedule for each session is as follows:

• Monday, March 29, at 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 31, at 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 6, at 9 a.m.
• Thursday, April 8, at 3 p.m.

The state program is funded through the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133). This relief package includes $25 billion for emergency rental assistance, of which $161 million has been allocated to the state to provide assistance in 57 Louisiana parishes. Seven jurisdictions—Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes—elected to administer their own programs. Renters and landlords of the noted seven parishes cannot apply to the state’s program and are encouraged to contact their local representatives or may visit www.LAStateRent.com to learn more.

The state-administered program focuses on paying up to 12 months of past-due rent and up to three months of future rent for eligible applicants. Priority is given to households where at least one member has been unemployed for more than 90 days due to COVID-19, and to households earning less than 50 percent of the Area Median Income, as required by the law.

Louisiana renters may be eligible for assistance from the state-administered program if they meet all the following criteria:

• They qualify or previously qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced an income reduction or other financial hardship due to COVID-19.
• They can demonstrate housing instability such as past-due rent or utility bills or notice of eviction.
• Their total household income is at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

Louisiana landlords may initiate an application on their tenant’s behalf. To participate in the program, landlords must not evict a tenant for at least 60 days after the assistance ends and must forgive late fees, penalties, interest and court costs.

The program is open and currently accepting applications. To apply or learn more about the state program, tenants and landlords can visit www.LAStateRent.com. For questions about the program or assistance with the application process, renters or landlords can call the program Contact Center at 877-459-6555 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

ABOUT LHC

The Louisiana Housing Corporation’s mission is to ensure that every Louisiana resident is granted an opportunity to obtain safe, affordable, energy-efficient housing. Each day this ongoing challenge is met by a dedicated staff of professionals who allocate federal and state funds to help low-to-moderate income citizens make their housing dreams a reality.

LHC administers federal and state funds through programs designed to advance the development of energy efficient and affordable housing for working families, drive housing policy for Louisiana and oversee the state’s Disaster Housing Task Force.