California rent relief settlement
新冠病毒租金减免和解的常见问答
2023年5月30日,租户倡导机构在起诉加州政府的重大诉讼案中达成和解,该诉讼案是有关加州在执行“ 租金减免计划“,也称作”紧急租金援助计划“(Emergency Rental Assistance Program,简称ERAP 或Housing is Key)时发生行政正当程序的问题,造成数千名符合条件的租户被拒绝援助。 和解的结果是,加州住房和社区发展部(简称HCD)同意对拒绝通知和上诉方式的程序做出几项改革。
这份常见问答是一个诉讼和解的摘要及其对于租户的意义。 关于更详细的诉讼信息和完整的和解协议,请拜访www.carentrelief.org。 西方法律和贫困中心(Western Center on Law and Poverty,)、公共律师(Public Counsel)、和 洛杉矶法律援助基金会(Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles)代表加州社区赋权联盟(Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Action,简称ACCE)、经济正义策略行动(Strategic Actions for a Just Economy,简称SAJE)和 PolicyLink等机构向法院提交诉状。
关于申请书状态方面的问题,租户应联系州政府的Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122。 如果您想在Housing is Key在线门户上查看申请书进度,请拜访。 https://hornellp-ca.neighborlysoftware.com/CaliforniaCovid19RentRelief/Participant.
如果您想联系能提供申请援助的社区组织,请致电地方伙伴网络(Local Partner Network)(833)687-0967。
1. 和解协议会影响谁?
这次和解影响了那些在2022年3月31日当天或之前申请Housing is Key的租户,及那些还在等待申请结果或在2 022年6月7日当天或之后被拒绝的申请人。 和解也可能帮助一些在2022年6月7日之前被拒绝的租户或其他在此常见问答中详述的申请状态。
这次和解只适用于加州的Housing is Key计划,并不适用于其他地方性市政府或县政府提供的租金援助计划。 这次和解不会让Housing is Key计划重新开放申请。
租户可以在这个申请门户查看自己的Housing is Key申请状态:https://hornellp-ca.neighborlysoftware.com/CaliforniaCovid19RentRelief/Participant.
2. 在等待租金减免申请结果的租户接下来怎么办?
HCD会恢复未处理完的申请和上诉。 租户应预计会收到来自州政府的新信函,不论是被批准或是拒绝。
根据这项和解,州政府修正了拒绝通知而且会提供更多具体信息给租户,解释被拒绝的确切原因。 会收到新拒绝通知的租户包括:
- 在2022年6月7日当天或之后收到拒绝通知的租户;
- 从来没有收到拒绝通知的租户;
- 截至2023年5月30日,曾提交上诉但从未收到任何结果通知的租户。
新的拒绝通知将重新计算一个为期30天的上诉期。 这个新的拒绝通知将包含如何联系协助租户上诉的组织等信息。
租户如果不确定他们被拒绝的日期可以致电Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122洽询其被拒绝的日期。
3. 新的拒绝通知会是什么样子?
所有新的拒绝通知都会有更多关于具体拒绝理由等信息,好让租户能解决任何已知的问题并且准备可行的上诉去反驳该决定。 通知的语言是英文和其他任何租户要求使用的语言。 根据和解协议,州政府必须上传所以拒绝通知到租户在Housing is Key的申请门户并可随时查阅。
如果拒绝的原因是基于房东所提交的某些东西,租户可以有权要求取得房东提供的文件或信息。 租户有额外的30天去提交上诉。 如果HCD不能取得许可提供文件给租户,这些文件在租户上诉中将被排除。
4. 新的拒绝通知会以什么方式寄给租户?
根据这份和解协议,HCD不能够再只透过电邮通知拒绝。 任何新的拒绝通知会被上传到Housing is Key申请门户,电邮发给租户和任何在申请书上列出的第三方倡导机构、并信件寄至申请书上的租户地址。
我们预计会在接下来的几个月逐批的发送出这些新的拒绝通知。
5. 这次和解是否会改变上诉程序?
和解协议扩大了上诉程序。 租户现在可以透过致电Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122,发电邮至 Appeal@ca-rentrelief.com,或直接联系自己的案件管理员 等方式进行上诉。 HCD也会在申请门户中加入一个上诉门户的链接。 如果租户不能使用之前申请时使用的原始电子邮件,HCD也会努力找一个替补方式让租户能上诉。
改善后的拒绝通知会说明具体拒绝原因,租户将能够在上诉中解决该问题。 如同之前的案例,租户在收到拒绝通知后有30天的时间提交上诉,否则拒绝通知就将被视为最终通知。
6. 如果租户申请的补助金只被批准一部分?
在诉讼过程中,我们得知HCD经常只批准租户申请援助金额的一部分,但是不对租户做任何解释(也称“部分付款”)。 此次和解规定HCD需要在2023年5月30日起的30 天之内把这些部分付款发给这些被批准的申请人。
在未来,如果租户只拿到申请租金援助金额的一部分,HCD必须提供一份通知解释为何他们被拒绝全额。 此外,HCD将自动代替租户开启上诉。 租户将能够要求看到HCD用来做出该决定的额外信息和文件,并且提交新的证据来支持上诉。 如果租户希望反驳这些决定,租户应该注意这些“部分付款”通知并且即时回应。
7. 这次和解会如何影响之前收到“退还补助金”的租户?
一些曾收到租金援助的租户之后却收到一份“退还补助金”通知表示他们必须退还已收到的部分或全部补助金。 根据和解协议,HCD必须提供租户新的通知解释HCD希望他们退还这笔钱的理由并且提供租户机会上诉。 在收到新通知后,租户有30天的时间上诉退还要求。 如果上诉成功,HCD会取消退还补助金通知并且让租户保留这笔资金。
如果HCD认定在上诉的过程中,退还要求是不正确的,但是申请书还是有问题,HCD将通知租户具体问题并给予45天时间让租户修正其申请书。
如果上诉被拒绝了,HCD会寄出另外一份通知提供还款的选择方式,例如分期付款。 HCD同意将不会把这些债务卖给讨债公司,并且会允许低收入租户至少三年时间还款。
8. 如果租户提交多份申请书,而其中一份被标记为“重复”怎么办?
如果租户提交多份申请书,HCD可能在不通知租户的情况下在申请门户上将其中一份标记为“重复”。 现在这次和解协议的规定是,必须为被标记为重复的申请书另外提供额外的通知。
任何被拒绝的租户,拒绝通知将包含一个段落指出有哪些申请书没有被受理因为被看作是重复申请。 HCD必须也已电邮和在申请门户中张贴通知说明哪些申请书被标记为重复。 这些通知将告诉租户如果认为申请被错误标记,租户便可采取行动。
HCD将允许有重复申请的租户致电Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122,与受过培训的人员洽询并 帮助把重复申请书整合为一份。
9. 这次和解能帮助之前被拒绝租金援助的租户吗?
除非在本常见问答中有详述,否则和解协议不会重新审核在2022年6月7日前被拒绝租金援助的大部分租户。
但是,根据和解协议,州政府同意检阅在2022年3月1日至2022年5月31 日之间因为“没有回应”而被拒绝的申请。
在2022年3月1日至2022年5月31日之间,因为” 没有回应“而被拒绝的租户可以联系在地方伙伴网络(Local Partner Network)电话 (833) 687-0967 当中的社区组织。 依据和解协议,这些机构能要求HCD重启这些租户的案件,要求更多关于被拒绝的信息,并且与计划合作再提供新证据尝试让租户获得批准。
HCD会自动检阅这些申请,决定是否不当地拒绝了某些人。 如果发现错误拒绝了某个申请书,而该申请人符合租金援助的资格, HCD会发放资金。
如果HCD不能决定申请是否应被拒绝或批准,他们必须自动开启上诉。 他们将会发出一份通知,清楚解释已开启上诉程序,申请人可以提供更多信息和/或文件来支持上诉。 他们也可以致电Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122取得更多关于申请的信息。 案件管理人要求额外信息时必须直接联系申请人。
10. 这次和解是否为不会说英文的租户提供任何协助?
该和解协议要求申请书和上诉门户都需要进行翻译,且在Housing is Key电话服务中心必须有人员能说加州六种最常见的语言。 HCD必须通知申请人可提供所有语言的语言服务。 所有HCD发送的信件必须包括告知租户有多种语言的语言服务。 拒绝通知将以英文和租户要求的母语语言提供给租户。
11. 如果租户不确定申请状态可以去哪里取得更多信息?
租户可以致电Housing is Key电话服务中心(833)430-2122。 作为和解的一部分,电话服务中心的等待时间不可以让租户等待时间比房东长太多。 申请人现在可以致电增加或更改联系方式,包括增加新的第三方代理人。 租户也可以致电询问最初拒绝通知的签发时间。
12. 租户可以去哪里取得提交申请书的协助?
地方伙伴网络(Local Partner Network)是一个社区组织的网络,他们能帮助解决申请和上诉的问题。 作为和解的一部分,HCD将完全提供这个计划的资金,好让被拒绝租金援助的申请人有外部协助他们上诉及操作线上系统。
如果您需要申请帮助或需要反驳拒绝通知,您应致电地方伙伴网络(Local Partner Networks)电话(833)687-0967 以寻求社区组织、租户团体、或法律服务提供商的帮助。
13. 如果租户还在等申请结果,但是正面临被驱赶,他们可以去哪里寻求帮助?
如果租户收到了未缴付租金债务的通知和/或被送达一份驱赶通知(驱赶房客令),他们可以在此 https://www.lawhelpca.org/issues/housing 找寻各自区域中的法律服务。
14. 这次和解将如何执行?
提交本案的律师会向HCD跟进,确保和解条款都有正确执行。 如果HCD不遵守和解协议,律师将尝试与HCD一起找出任何问题的解决方式。 如果再不行,律师将要求法庭下令HCD遵守和解协议。
HCD会每月在其网站上提供关于计划的新信息,包括:
- 待决申请数字及其状态;
- 被拒绝的数字,并以邮编号码、人种、和种族区分。
- 待决的上诉数字;
- 上诉被拒绝或批准的数字。
Tenants’ Rights Advocates Reach Landmark Settlement on Behalf of Californians Struggling With Pandemic Rent Debt
The agreement requires the California Department of Housing & Community Development to give pending and denied applicants a fair chance to receive Covid-19 rental assistance
LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2023 —A landmark settlement has been reached in a case brought by tenants’ rights advocates alleging that the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) unconstitutionally operated the state’s Covid-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP or Housing is Key), which has led to qualified applicants missing out on the assistance they were promised after the pandemic destroyed many Californians’ livelihoods. More than 100,000 households are still waiting for a decision on their applications—and many of them are being served with eviction notices and being harassed by their landlords for rent they still owe. The settlement agreement will offer a renewed chance for applicants who remain in limbo to receive Covid-19 rental assistance, which remains essential to supporting and stabilizing families as the housing and homelessness crisis worsens in California.
California’s Covid-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program was created to provide direct assistance to low-income families struggling to pay rent during the pandemic. The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE Action), Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), and PolicyLink—represented by Western Center on Law & Poverty, Public Counsel, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and Covington & Burling LLP—sued HCD in June 2022 for several systemic failures in the program, including a confusing application process that led eligible tenants to be wrongfully denied assistance.
“The rental assistance program was intended to provide housing stability for low-income tenant families who were impacted by Covid-19, but delays and dysfunction left far too many eligible families facing eviction because they could not access this critical assistance,” said Madeline Howard, Senior Attorney at Western Center on Law & Poverty. “We are hopeful that this settlement will create an opportunity for these tenants to finally receive the help they need.”
“This settlement will mitigate some of the worst long-tail impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on our local communities, and Covington is very proud to partner with our co-counsel and clients in this important work,” said Neema Sahni, Partner at Covington & Burling LLP.
California identified more than $6 billion in rental assistance from the state and federal government for the Housing is Key program, which came at a critical time and should have made a profound difference for the hundreds of thousands of families impacted by the economic fallout of the pandemic. More than half a million households applied to the program. Thus far, HCD has denied nearly 30 percent of applicants, according to an analysis of program data conducted by the National Equity Atlas (a research partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Dornsife Equity Research Institute). The vast majority of those denied (93 percent) have incomes below 80 percent of the area median income—the income threshold to be eligible for the program. Tenants did not receive any meaningful explanation of why they were being denied the help they needed to avoid eviction, and many had difficulty accessing the appeal process.
“We filed this case because we started to see a sharp rise in denials for tenants we knew were eligible, including clients of legal aid organizations across the state, who were relying on rental assistance to stay housed and off the streets,” said Faizah Malik, Senior Supervising Attorney at Public Counsel. “With the settlement of the case, many thousands of families will have another chance to receive the aid that they were promised.”
As part of the settlement, HCD has agreed to take several steps to improve its process for the remaining ERAP applications, including:
- Providing tenants who are going to be denied all or part of the assistance they requested with a detailed explanation of the reason for denial, so they can address issues with the application and have a fair opportunity to appeal;
- Ensuring that tenants subject to “recapture” of rental assistance funds have a fair opportunity to challenge the state’s decision;
- Providing better access to the appeal process;
- Expanding funding to the Local Partner Network, which will assist tenants with navigating their pending applications and appeals;
- Conducting an audit of prior denials to correct wrongful denials of assistance;
- Improving language access and reasonable accommodation procedures; and
- Providing greater transparency about who is receiving rental assistance and who is not, with data about the race, ethnicity, and zip code of people denied assistance.
Tenants who have been waiting for a decision on their applications will receive an update in the coming months and should regularly check their email, application portal, and postal mail for notifications. Tenants who have been evicted or moved since they applied for rental assistance should contact the Housing is Key program to update their contact information and ensure they receive any important notices. Those who receive a denial will have 30 days to file an appeal.
“SAJE has assisted hundreds of tenants on their rent relief applications, and many of the most vulnerable tenants are still in the waiting pool, confused and scared,” said Cynthia Strathmann, Executive Director of SAJE. “We hope that tenants now will finally get the information they need to get their applications approved so they can pay off their pandemic rent debt, a major source of continued stress and harassment.”
“This case brought us in contact with so many families who were evicted or facing eviction because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Jonathan Jager, LAFLA attorney. “We encourage any renters who are still waiting for an ERAP decision to not give up hope. Keep your contact information up to date with Housing is Key and reach out to the Local Partner Network if you have questions about any communications you receive from the program.”
Rent debt across California remains at crisis levels: an estimated 688,000 households across the state remain behind on rent, according to the National Equity Atlas. Altogether, they owe nearly $2.6 billion in total rent debt, with the average rent debt per household hovering around $3,700. The vast majority of these renters are low-income people of color who have suffered job and income losses due to the pandemic. This persistent and mounting debt further illustrates the importance of this settlement to keeping families in their homes and curbing the surge of evictions that have followed the end of pandemic eviction moratoriums.
“I lost everything I had because of issues with the rent relief program. Right before the pandemic, I put my life’s savings into opening a restaurant. I was then forced to close down, and as a result lost my income, my business, and my entire savings trying to hold on to what I had. I applied for rent relief and at first was denied without explanation. Then I appealed, got approved, but have now been waiting for nearly 2 years for the money to come through. I tried calling the program for help dozens of times but got no help. A year into waiting for the funding, my landlord pressured me to move out, and I became homeless. Thousands of lives have been destroyed because of the failure to get the money out to families that they are due. I am hopeful that this settlement will finally bring us closer to some relief,” said Blake Phillips, former resident of Los Angeles.
“In creating the Covid-19 rent relief program, the state promised to cover 100 percent of pandemic rent debt for tenants in California. We brought this case to ensure that the state lived up to that promise so hundreds of thousands of Californians could survive the pandemic,” said Jefferson McGee, State Board Chair of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE). “Housing is health and housing is a human right and we will keep fighting to make that a reality for our members.”
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