The economic fallout brought on by COVID-19 continues to negatively impact communities through Riverside County. In response, United Lift – a joint effort by Lift to Rise, Inland SoCal United Way, and the County of Riverside – announced that new rental assistance resources will soon become available to keep Riverside County families housed.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors in February voted to approve $57,267,219 in emergency rental assistance program funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Combined with previous funding rounds from the CARES Act, Community Development Block Grant funds and other sources, United Lift totals more than $90 million.
The program is one of the largest per capita allocations of direct rental assistance in the country and one of a handful to operate on a countywide basis. With nearly 2.5 million residents, Riverside County is the 10th-largest county in the United States.
“United Lift has already helped thousands of renters and landlords in Riverside County who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Riverside County Board of Supervisors Chair Karen Spiegel. “Riverside County is eager to see this next round of assistance administered in a quick and efficient manner to as many residents as possible and is grateful to our nonprofit partners for their work getting these funds to folks who need it the most.”
Applications for the next round of United Lift rental assistance will are now available to Riverside County residents. The program will continue until funds are depleted, or until December 31, 2021, whichever happens first.
This year, the program will provide one-time rental assistance support to cover up to 12 months of unpaid rent during the period between March 13, 2020 until the time of application, plus an additional three months of future rent. Eligibility is limited to renters in Riverside County with a current lease agreement who are earning 80 percent or below of the area’s median income and can document a loss of income due to COVID-19 economic impacts that leave them unable to make their rent. Assistance is provided without regard to immigration status.
Priority will be given to households with incomes less than 50 percent of the area median income, as well as households with one or more adults that have not been employed during the 90 days prior to submitting their application. Landlords with tenants with unpaid debt balances are encouraged to notify their tenants about this program.
More information on eligibility guidelines and the application portal can be found at UnitedLift.org.
United Lift partners will conduct extensive outreach through community networks and partnerships to ensure eligible Riverside County residents are aware of the available rental assistance and have all of the information they need to successfully apply. In-person application events will be scheduled for this spring and beyond.
Staff and volunteers are currently processing a waitlist of over 3,000 households who applied for, but did not receive, the first round of United Lift assistance in 2020.
