California’s legislative assistance for Low-income Californians

The Supreme Court overruled the Center for Disease Control’s extension of the eviction moratorium, allowing states to end the moratorium, leaving Americans worried about housing instability during the health crisis.

While the end of the eviction moratorium causes concern for California citizens, the state has made clear that its low-income residents will not have to entirely carry that burden on their own. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced the Supreme Court’s decision would not affect the state’s moratorium, which would end on September 30.

The California state legislature passed Senate Bill 91 (SB-91), providing $2.6 billion in emergency rental assistance for households and landlords who have been impacted by the pandemic.

“It was difficult to keep up with rent, especially because unemployment can only cover so much. The state’s rental assistance program offered to cover three months worth of rent, taking down the stress and worry that I had. Now I can focus on finishing school without worrying whether I’ll be able to keep my roof over my head,” CSUEB student Malaysia
Anderson shared.

Miss Anderson also shared her experience with the application process, “The application itself was straightforward and easy to fill out. While they did take about a month or two to get back to me, they offered to cover any back-rent that I may have missed.”

Gov. Newsom signed legislation in June that would “clear rent debt for low-income Californians that have suffered economic hardship due to the pandemic,” according to a press release.

Under Assembly Bill 832 (AB 832) California would “significantly increase cash assistance to low-income tenants and small landlords under the state’s $5.2 billion rent relief program, making it the largest and most comprehensive COVID rental protection and rent relief program of any state in the nation.”

The bill also allows the state’s emergency rental assistance program to cover, “100% of past-due and prospective rent payments, as well as utility bills for income-qualified tenants.”

These rental assistance programs are available to those who have been severely impacted by the on-going pandemic. The rental assistance programs have lifted a burden off of families and communities that need it most.

While the eviction moratorium ends at the end of the month, the assistance for California citizens is still ongoing.

For more information about housing resources, citizens can visit.

California renters and landlords can apply for housing relief here.

To apply to a rental assistance program as a resident of Alameda county, residents can visit

For assistance with paying utilities, California residents may visit
https://www.hud.gov/states/california/renting/energyprgms