The Santa Clarita City Council on Tuesday approved the creation of the Santa Clarita COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, which enables the city to administer the program and disperse assistance payments directly to landlords of qualified households.

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the physical and financial wellbeing of Santa Clarita residents. To help individuals and families impacted by COVID-19, the city received $6.3 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to provide rental assistance to residents.

The Santa Clarita COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will be available beginning April 1, 2021, and will provide financial assistance to low- and moderate-income renters in the city that meet certain eligibility criteria. The program will provide assistance for up to four full months of rental arrears, contingent upon funding availability.

“We know how tough the past year has been on our community,” said Mayor Bill Miranda. “For those who have not been able to pay their rent due to impacts of the pandemic, this program will help them get back on their feet, and more importantly, stay in their homes.”

In order to be eligible, a household must reside in a rental unit located within the city of Santa Clarita and have a household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Applicants must have experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19, such as unemployment. They must also have one or more household members who can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability due to this hardship.

Applications for the Rental Assistance Program will be accepted for 30 days to allow sufficient time for households to collect required documentation. Priority processing will be granted to households at or below 50% AMI, as well as households where at least one member has been unemployed for more than 90 days.

Payments will be made directly to landlords upon verification and receipt of a signed agreement.

To learn more about the Santa Clarita COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, including income thresholds for eligibility, visit santa-clarita.com/RentalAssistance.