Rental Assistance Program

THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED

Fast Facts

The Emergency Rental Assistance (COVID) Program provides emergency rental assistance grants up to $10,000 to income-eligible individuals and families economically impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic through job loss, furlough, or reduction in hours or pay.

What this program provides

The program provides for past due rent originally due on April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022, for up to one hundred percent (100%) of the payments required under the lease agreement to maintain housing and/or to reduce rental payment delinquency in arrears as a result of the economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program will not cover any late fees.

Applicant Eligibility

 To be eligible for assistance, an applicant must:

1. Reside in a rental unit located within the incorporated limits of the City of Palmdale.
2. Have a current annual household income that does not exceed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established 50 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) limits for Los Angeles County, adjusted for household size, as published for the CDBG program. Table 1 below provides the CDBG income limits effective June 1, 2022. Household income eligibility is based on the following two (2) factors.
   1. The total number of people residing in the housing unit; and
   2. The total amount of current annual household income as stated in the Program Application and Certification of Income.
3. Have experienced a negative economic impact because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Submit a completed pre-application questionnaire to enter the lottery. Selected applicants will be provided the opportunity to complete the full program application which will require:
   1. Submit a Statement of Intent to Participate Form signed by the bona fide landlord/property management agent or company.
   2. Submit a W-9 form completed by the landlord/property management agent or company.
   3. Submit evidence of the current rental balance.
   4. Submit a current residential lease agreement for a standard housing unit in Palmdale.

For the limited purposes of this program, a standard housing unit is defined as a permitted dwelling unit located within the incorporated City limits of the City of Palmdale that contains a functioning kitchen, bathroom, storage, sleeping areas, living areas, and appropriate ingress and egress, and that is rented to the applicant pursuant to a written lease by a third-party property owner that does not reside within the dwelling unit.

Renting a room within a housing unit, renting a garage, or other housing arrangement that is not a standard permitted housing unit are not eligible.

Households living in Section 8 rental housing are not eligible. Applicants cannot receive Program assistance if they are receiving assistance under another federal, state, or local rental assistance program during the same period.

After the Pre-Application period closes, each applicant who submitted a Pre-Application Questionnaire will be entered into a lottery. Applicants will be pulled in the lottery process until each Pre-Application has been assigned a number and placed on a “lottery list” in chronological order and in accordance with the guidelines until all program funds are depleted. Applicants will be contacted by City staff for an opportunity to complete and submit a full Program Application and Certification of Income along with all required supporting documents.