CFPB Debuts New Tool to Apply for Rental Assistance

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Although the eviction moratorium imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expires Saturday, struggling housing providers and renters will continue to have many options for aid. To help them, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced a new online tool where renters and housing providers who continue to face pandemic-related financial hardships can locate and apply for payment assistance for rent, utilities, and other expenses.

The new Rental Assistance Finder, at consumerfinance.gov/renthelp, can guide housing providers and renters to assistance programs in their area.

“The Rental Assistance Finder will make it easier for renters and landlords to locate the financial assistance available in their area,” said Dave Uejio, the CFPB’s acting director. “People across the country are already receiving billions of dollars in assistance, and with this new tool we hope even more renters and landlords will take advantage of this emergency relief. This money is a win-win for both landlords and renters and a better outcome for all than costly, needless evictions.”

Housing providers nationwide can still take advantage of some of the nearly $50 billion in rental assistance allocated by Congress. They have had to absorb billions of dollars in losses monthly because of unpaid rent under the moratorium.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the National Association of REALTORS® has been a leader in advocating for rental assistance for tenants and housing providers. NAR offers a webpage devoted to information for its members, including links to emergency rental assistance programs, government resources, and more. Access it at NAR.realtor.

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