Renters and landlords who may be facing financial hardship or unable to pay rent as a result of circumstances caused by the COVOD 19 pandemic may be eligible for relief under the state of Louisiana’s U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
Individuals will be able to learn more about the relief available and will have the opportunity to apply for assistance when representatives of the program present an information and mobile signup session Saturday, May 8 at the Bossier Parish Health Unit, 3022 Old Minden Rd. in Bossier City.
Glynn E. Price Jr., the program’s Outreach Specialist for North West and North Central Louisiana, said the session will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. in rooms 202 and 204 at the health unit.
Price provides program outreach services for the program for Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, DeSoto, Red River, Bienville, Natchitoches and Sabine parishes. He presented facts of the program to members of the Bossier Parish Police Jury during the body’s April 21 meeting.
“We will have a presentation with voice-over looping in the media room for people to listen while we are helping assist other applicants individually,” Price said. “We will be answering questions and our team in Baton Rouge will be on call so we can have additional help in case we have a large number of persons present.”
Price said the program’s funding allows Louisiana the opportunity to serve more people and to expand the rental benefit for those in need by paying past due rent for current tenants back to April 2020 and up to three months forward.
In January 2021, The U.S. Treasury provided $161 million in additional funding to Louisiana for emergency rental assistance to help meet the needs of renters and landlords impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will be giving valuable information and hands-on assistance to those who attend this event,” Price said. “We would encourage both renters and landlords who are facing difficulties caused by unpaid rents during the COVID 19 pandemic to attend.”
To learn more, or to apply for the State Program, renters and landlords in the 57 program parishes can visitwww.LAStateRent.com. Individuals who may need additional help with their application to the State Program can call (877) 459-6555.