Tenant protections are expiring, and thousands are waiting on rent assistance

The last remaining tenant protections against eviction for pandemic-related rent debt that were granted by the state are expiring at the end of the month. They were based on tenants having applied to the state’s rent relief program, which according to a new study is slow to make decisions. The report indicates applicants are waiting months for the state program to make decisions on their cases, and that the majority of applicants have not received any payment. Still, the state should have enough funds to be able to pay every eligible applicant, even those who apply in the last weeks before the program closes.