DENVER — Before the federal eviction moratorium expired on Saturday, July 31, Gov. Polis announced he would provide protections for some tenants for 30 more days beginning on August 1.
The Governor signed an executive order that provides protections for 30 more days for tenants who are waiting on emergency rental assistance.
“With the expiration of the CDC National Eviction Moratorium, the time is now to be proactive in pursuing relief,” said DOLA Executive Director Rick M. Garcia. “Both landlords and tenants should remain in close contact with DOH regarding their applications, and landlords should refrain from evicting their tenants for nonpayment while they are pursuing help. We appreciate Coloradans’ patience as we approve applications and supply rental relief.”
Tenants can qualify for emergency rental assistance if they show they are unable to pay rent due to the pandemic or must show that their income is below 80 percent of the median pay in their area.
The ERAP can help cover rent as far back as April 2020, up to a maximum of 15 months of assistance. The application may be initiated by either a landlord or a tenant.
According to a press release, the assistance is partially funded by American Rescue Plan Act funds. Gov. Polis signed a law in Jun that allocated $98.5 million to the Division of Housing for expanded gap financing, $1.5 million for the Eviction Legal Defense Fund and the law also created the Affordable Housing and Homeownership Cash Fund.
According to the Department of Local Affairs, the department has provided relief to 34,000 Coloradans seeking emergency housing assistance since the beginning of the pandemic. They go on to say that the Department is currently reviewing 2,900 recently submitted applications.
According to the Apartment Association of Colorado, 97.2 percent of renters are current on their payments.
This means approximately 2-3-percent will likely face eviction problems in the near future.
To put this number into perspective, that's about 2-3 people per 100 people.
For months, there have been numerous programs designed to help both renters and landlords impacted by COVID-19. Some of those assistance payments may still be available to those who qualify.
Keep in mind, the eviction statistics provided above do not account for homeowners who may face foreclosures down the road.
More information about Colorado's Emergency Rental Assistance Program can be found here.
For local residents, you can also reach out to Pikes Peak United Way.
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