The Louisiana Housing Corporation said it has streamlined the application for emergency rental aid for people impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, trying to speed assistance for a $24 million program announced months ago that has handed out little money so far.
The agency announced Wednesday that it shortened the application, is allowing electronic signatures on the documents and will hold events around Louisiana to help those with limited internet access to seek rental assistance.
Only 160 tenants have seen money paid to their landlords, totaling about $400,000. But the Louisiana Housing Corporation said $7 million has been obligated, keeping 3,000 families from eviction even if the dollars haven’t yet been turned over to landlords.
Gov. John Bel Edwards announced in mid-July that Louisiana would offer the emergency rent assistance to low-income residents faced with eviction. Federal dollars are financing the program.
Demand was so great—more than 40,000 renters started the application process—that the housing agency stopped accepting applications within four days. The governor’s office blamed federal financial restrictions and incomplete applications for the slow pace of aid.
