The Emeryville City Council recently passed the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which seeks to prevent homelessness and displacement of Emeryville tenants impacted by the Coronavirus.  The City Council appropriated $400,000 from the disaster fund for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

To qualify for the Emeryville COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program, applicants must:

  1. Be an Emeryville tenant;
  2. Be current on all rent due as of March 19, 2020;
  3. Have a household income less than the area median income:
Household Size: 1 Person 2 Persons 3 Persons 4+ Persons
Household Income: $78,200 $89,350 $100,550 $111,700
  1. Must have documented loss of income related to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic impacts due to health, employment, or school/childcare closures as evidenced by termination notice, payroll check or pay stubs, bank statements, medical bills, signed letter from employer explaining the tenant’s changed financial circumstances, or an unemployment award letter;
  2. Tenant must self-certify inability to pay the following months’ rent.

Emeryville Section 8 tenants may be eligible under special circumstances.  Additionally, tenants not current on rent may qualify where the Landlord agrees to waive the back rent owed.

Assistance is the amount that is lesser of the tenant’s actual rent or the maximum affordable rent for the unit size, based on need:

Unit Size Studio 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom
Max Monthly Rent $1,955 $2,234 $2,514 $2,793
Max Allocation based on 2 Months’ Rent $3,910 $4,468 $5,028 $5,585
Funds are dispersed directly to Emeryville landlords.

Emeryville Tenants – click here to submit your electronic application for the Emeryville COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Emeryville is one of numerous California cities & counties that have, or will soon pass, Coronavirus/COVID-19 eviction moratoriums, including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Monica, Culver City, Stockton, Sacramento, San Diego, Alameda, Burbank, Pasadena, Vallejo, Inglewood, Glendale, El Monte, South Pasadena, Richmond, Emeryville, Ojai, Palo Alto, Clearlake, Palm Springs, Goleta, Santa Ana, San Louis Obispo County, West Sacramento, Watsonville, Woodland, Anaheim, Beverly Hills, Benicia, Camarillo, San Leandro, Union City, Concord, Albany, East Palo Alto, and Los Angeles.

If you are an Emeryville tenant with questions about your rights under the Emeryville Coronavirus/COVID-19 eviction moratorium or have questions about the Emeryville Rent Ordinance, Emeryville Relocation Payments, Emeryville Owner Move-In evictions, or  California Rent Control (AB 1482), contact Astanehe Law to speak with an experienced tenant attorney.