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LA Rent Help Program Overwhelmed With Applicants, Gets Suspended

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

RENT ASSISTANCE  SUSPENDED-  The state of Louisiana has suspended an emergency rent assistance program to help with the economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 after more than 40,000 people started  filling out applications in less than four days.   Last Thursday, Governor John Bel  Edwards  announced  the Louisiana Housing Corporation had set aside $24 million of federal money for the program.  At the time the agency estimated they had enough money to help about 10,000 tenants, around $7 million on  hand  to immediately  pay  rent  directly to landlords.

The emergency  rent  assistance  was  for  low-income residents faced with the threat of eviction because their paychecks have taken a hit from the coronavirus outbreak and was to pay 3 months’ back rent and 3 months’ rent in advance.  Housing advocates have said the program was insufficient to deal with the demand for housing assistance after the collapse of the economy and renewed that critique after hearing the news on Sunday.

In a statement  the housing advocacy group Housing-LOUISIANA said the inundation of the program was to be expected,  given an estimated 142,000  unemployed renters across the state who are in need of its services.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.