NLIHC and the National League of Cities (NLC) released on April 29, “How to Establish and Improve Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: Suggestions for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Elected Officials.” The resource outlines key principles of a model emergency rental assistance (ERA) program and offers examples of how localities have successfully incorporated these principles into their programs. The principles are based on NLIHC’s tracking and analysis of nearly 900 state and local emergency rental assistance programs and findings from collaborative research conducted by NLIHC, the Housing Initiative at Penn, and NYU Furman Center.
Congress is relying on state and local governments to stabilize distressed households by connecting residents at risk of eviction to the more than $46 billion in emergency rental and utility assistance funds provided in the American Rescue Plan Act and the December COVID-19 relief package. NLIHC and NLC prepared this guidance for elected officials and advocates seeking to minimize obstacles and maximize uptake of rental aid, and to ensure these critical federal resources reach households with the greatest needs and are distributed equitably.
Elected officials, program administrators, and advocates should incorporate the following best practices into state and local ERA programs: 1) center equity in the design and implementation of programs; 2) prioritize households with the greatest needs; 3) partner with trusted community-based organizations; 4) simplify applications and allow self-attestation; 5) engage landlords; 6) provide direct-to-tenant assistance; and 7) incorporate racial equity in performance measurements.
Read “How to Establish and Improve Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: Suggestions for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Elected Officials” at: https://bit.ly/3nvsKky.