NEWS ALERTS : Rental Assistance Programs

AS OF SEPTEMBER 30th, THE STATE IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS. TENANT MUST APPLY TO THE COUNTY'S UNITED WAY PROGRAM USING LINK BELOW. UNITED WAY (805) 965-8591.


Click here for local Housing Authority Rental Assistance Program Information.

BURDEN OF PROOF ON LANDLORD

According to Santa Barbara County Senior Housing Specialist Ted Teyber:

"I believe per AB 832 and the newest judicial council forms, that the tenant doesn’t NEED to provide proof of applying for rent assistance as the burden is on the landlord to show in their initial filings that an application was  submitted and denied or not responded to by the tenant.

  1. The landlord has to have completed an application for rental assistance which was denied AND provide a copy of the final decision from the rental assistance program when filing the complaint (a copy must also be served on the defendants)  OR
  2. File a statement with the complaint, verifying that before filing the complaint,  the landlord submitted the rental assistance application and 20 days have passed since the later of
  3. the date the landlord submitted the applicationor
  4. the date the landlord served the tenant with the 3-day notice to pay rent or quit and the landlord has not received notice or obtained verification from the rental assistance program indicating the tenant has submitted a completed application and the landlord has not received communication from the tenant that the tenant has applied for rental assistance 

Landlords should therefore request a copy of the final determination or status from United Way and/or State HCD."

Click here to download a copy of Ted's 9/20/2021 Presentation on Emergency Rental Assistance.

United Way of Santa Barbara County and State HCD are both staffing call centers where applicants (tenants, landlords, or Courts at their option) can check the status of an application. 

Tenants or landlords that need to confirm the status of an application submitted to United Way should call (805) 965-8591. 

Tenants or landlords that need to confirm the status of an application to the State HCD should call (833) 430-2122.

PENDING LEGISLATION - SB 747 by Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, would provide financial relief to landlords when their tenants claim a COVID-19 related hardship yet earn too much money to qualify for rental assistance. It would also assist rental housing providers with nonpaying tenants who refuse to cooperate in completing a rent relief application.

NOTE: Mortgage foreclosure assistance from State: https://housing.ca.gov/homeowners/mortgage_relief_foreclosure_resources.html

 All 80% AMI or below County of Santa Barbara residents that have experienced a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic and can demonstrate the need for rental support may apply for Rent and utility debts dating back to March 2020.