Letter to the Editor: Rental assistance available

Rental assistance is part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. This is the $1.9 trillion bill that helps Americans deal with the botched and deadly failed attempt by the previous republican president to address the needs of all Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan provides $45 billion to assist renters (and landlords) who cannot pay their rent due to the pandemic. The eviction moratorium has been extended until June 30, 2021.

To participate in this program, go to https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/index.html.

This is California’s COVID-19 Rent Relief web site that will guide you thru the process. There is a section for landlords and tenants, and an overview section that should be your starting point at the link.  As expected, there are qualifications and forms to fill out. But, it is worth the trouble as it is better than being evicted or losing rental income.

Beware though, landlords across the nation are fighting this assistance. Lawsuits are being submitted to end this assistance. You see, in America and with certain people, all that matters is money and power and the hell with anything that gets in the way of their dollars even when the entire nation has been hit with, effectively, a national disaster.

I don’t believe a city or county government can do anything to help residents with this assistance other than to urge tenants to sign up for the assistance and landlords to be a bit humane with their tenants. Hopefully, our local governments can do something positive to help.

And, as a reminder, the Republican Party does not want you to have any assistance, at all, ever. Every single Republican voted NO on the American Rescue Plan including our district’s resident insurrectionist Congressman LaMalfa – a multi-millionaire. Without the Democratic Party, none of this relief would even be possible. Just saying…

If you need assistance, I urge everyone to study this renter/landlord assistance program to see if your household qualifies for the assistance. This one of the primary reasons we have a government – to see to the needs of the people.