Round 2 of Emergency Rental Assistance Available to Santa Clara Renters Impacted by COVID-19 Crisis

In September, the Santa Clara City Council approved an additional $1.5 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and broadened the eligibility requirements allowing more households to pre-qualify for the program. The application process for Round 2 of funding is now available.

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, the City of Santa Clara worked to provide rental assistance to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was launched in June 2020 with $1.3 million available and with the goal of preventing the increase of homelessness in Santa Clara. The first round of applications closed in June and to date approximately 80 households have qualified for rental assistance. The total funding available for Round 1 and Round 2 is $2.8 million and any unspent fund from Round 1 will be available in Round 2 to help Santa Clara renters.

The City of Santa Clara’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program is available for Santa Clara residents only. The program’s goal is to assist low-income households with rental assistance for past due rent payments that have accumulated due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are over six months into this pandemic,” said Mayor Lisa Gillmor. “Our residents are resilient, yet they are continually impacted, financially and emotionally during this crisis. Through the quick response from the City Council, the City was able to create this program to prevent Santa Clara residents from becoming homeless. Together, Santa Clara will continue to respond and work to find ways to help our community.”

To qualify, households must live in the City of Santa Clara, accumulated past due rents after April 2020, and have a total household income that does not exceed 80 percent Area Median Income (AMI) gross household income limits, which is higher than Round 1. To apply online and view eligibility requirements, visit SantaClaraCA.gov/RentRelief.

For questions about the program, email the rentrelief@santaclaraca.gov or call the City’s Housing & Community Services Division at 408-615-2490.