State Bill Outlines Distribution for Federal Rental Assistance

State legislation aimed at creating a framework for distributing federal funding for rental assistance passed the Pennsylvania Senate this week and is moving toward a vote in the House next week.

Senate Bill 109 (Pittman, R-Indiana) passed unanimously in the Senate on Wednesday. The legislation names the Department of Human Services as the administering agency to implement and oversee the $570 million allocated to the rental assistance program following the established federal guidelines.

All 67 counties will receive funding and counties with populations greater than 200,000 will also receive funding directly from the federal government.

No details on how the application process will be administered by each county are available at this time.

“PAR strongly supports Senate Bill 109 and urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly to continue moving quickly in order to provide relief to both renters and landlords during this incredibly challenging time,” said PAR President Christopher G. Raad.

Congress approved this latest coronavirus relief bill in late December, allocating $900 billion to bring a new round of support to millions of Americans. The agreement contains many priorities championed by NAR, including rental assistance, a fresh round of funding and simplified forgiveness for SBA loans and more direct payments to Americans.

Earlier this month, both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention eviction moratorium of renters, along with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture foreclosure moratoriums announced they are extended until at least March 31, while the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ similar moratorium is extended through at least Feb. 28.