Question: How much did the City distribute in rental assistance in FY 2025 and 2026, and how much has been budgeted for FY 2027? How much additional funding would be required (if any) to assist those who applied for rental assistance in FY 2025 and 2026 and did not receive it? (Councilman Elnoubi)
Response:
In FY25, all eligible applicants (517 total households served) who sought rental assistance received support, an outcome made possible by a one-time $139,764 allocation from the Office of Housing's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. This additional resource assisted 48 households that would otherwise have gone unserved.
In FY26, 287 households have been served year-to-date, with an additional 153 households projected to receive assistance before the fiscal year closes. At this time, staff expect to remain in-budget through the end of the fiscal year, with no eligible unserved applicants.
While FY27 funding is expected to remain at current levels overall, state homeless prevention funding is anticipated to decrease by $14,000. The chart below outlines rental assistance distributions for FY25 and FY26 as of March 9, 2026, as well as budgets for FY27.
Rental Assistance Programs | Service/Population | Distribution FY 25 | Distribution FY 26 YTD | FY 27 Budget |
Transitional Assistance Program | Federal funding that supports households at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) in resolving a housing crisis and achieving stability. Assistance includes the first month’s rent and security deposit. | $59,166 | $51,405 | $70,208 |
Community Service Block Grant | State funding that assists households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level with housing stabilization, including emergency rental assistance and utility reconnections. | $303,021 | $200,189 | $330,337 |
Older Adult Rent Relief | Local funding which supports households at or below 30% of AMI who are age 65 or older and/or permanently disabled. Provides up to $500 per month in rental assistance. | $772,500 | $493,000 | $776,177 |
Eviction Prevention / Housing Crisis1 | Local funding provides up to three months of rental assistance for households at risk of eviction, including those behind on rent and those facing imminent eviction, such as those who have received a sheriff’s notice or a formal eviction notice. Also includes assistance for utilities, burial, moving and storage, and prescription. | $421,976 | $245,397 | $472,375 |
Homeless Prevention | State funding that prevents homelessness for households who are at imminent risk of homelessness, and those with no plan on where they will be living within 14 days. | $144,815 | $96,558 | $130,059 |
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) | One-time Office of Housing funding used for rental assistance for households who are behind on rent. | $139,764 | $0 | $0 |
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For additional information on this program, refer to budget memo 039 – Rent Relief