Figures, Most Rental Assistant Funds Not Distributed Yet


Many states, including Texas, have been particularly effective at increasing aid delivery systems, officials said. But others – especially New York, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio and South Carolina – were stagnant, making tenants particularly vulnerable to displacement after the moratorium was lifted.

But there are signs that things may change: New York has released only a small portion of its funding through August 1, but has spent nearly $200 million in the past few weeks, according to a spokesperson for the government agency that distributes the aid.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who was sworn in this week, said the system needed to be stepped up. one of his top priorities.

States that did not use most of their money by the end of September may find their funds reallocated to other states that can distribute them more effectively.

It will take weeks for local housing courts to clear the backlog of eviction lawsuits delayed by the moratorium. But many landlords, especially smallholders, have refused federal aid, arguing that evicting non-paying tenants is not only their right, but the most effective way to ensure their income isn’t cut in the future.

Last week, Wally Adeyemo, assistant secretary of the Treasury, traveled to Hyattsville, Md. to speak with landlords, tenants and managers of a successful rent assistance program using self-reported applications and census data to determine eligibility.

Worried that a new moratorium could be lifted at any time, administration officials also apply to state courts – adjudicating tenant-landlord disputes – to help provide assistance by pressuring landlords to accept federal payments rather than evictions, and by educating tenants who often do not have legal representation in court about their right to apply for assistance.



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