After just three days, Louisiana’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program was suspended.
“Apparently they had gotten over 40,000 applications and apparently they were not prepared for that response,” says Andreanecia Morris, Director of Housing Louisiana.
Morris says the $24,000,000 put up to start the program wouldn’t scratch the surface of the demand.
Apparently, she was right.
On Sunday the program was suspended due to an “overwhelming response.”
Related: Rental assistance applications paused amid high demand
“It re-enforces the fact that this program is inadequate. And that’s not something the state has been unaware of,” Morris points out. “It’s something we have been talking with the Governor about consistently since the Governor issued the first shelter-at-home order over a hundred days ago.”
The suspension of the program comes just two days after the legislature approved $546,000,000 in state borrowing for construction projects.
“We’re not prioritizing the right issues,” Morris says. “The other things we’ve seen are necessary and vital, but why isn’t housing getting the same attention?”
Morris says the Governor and Legislature need to take housing and rental assistance seriously.
“Why are we putting out programs that are so woefully lacking when the other areas are getting more than they need, frankly,” Morris says.
Morris says had the issue been taken seriously from the start, the program would’ve been ready by the time the Governor’s 90-day eviction moratorium went into effect.
“What should’ve happened when that eviction moratorium ended, a complimentary rental assistance program should’ve been launched at the same time.
For now, it’s a time of action and Morris is mobilizing Housing Louisiana to get in front of lawmakers and implore them to fund an emergency rental assistance program at the level which is needed.
“We’re going to be working across the state with our partners to make sure that officials at all levels understand that they have to stop ignoring this.