PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. — The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to allocate $8 million toward the Eviction Prevention/Emergency Rent and Utility Relief Program.
Tenants impacted by COVID-19 can receive up to 15 months in rent and utility relief, according to a release from Pima County.
The funds come from a program that is administered by the Community Investment Corporation and partnered with the City of Tucson. The $8 million funding comes from Pima's allocation from the U.S. Treasury for rent assistance.
Dan Sullivan, director of the County’s Community & Workforce Development Department, said in a statement:
“We’re forming one network so people can easily file their claims and have them processed quickly. This is going to do a lot of good in our community so folks can stay in their homes and landlords can be made whole.
The Community Action Agency already has begun processing applications that have come in through the CIC portal, which has a backlog of more than 4,000 potential claims due to a gap of more than three months in federal funding. It is estimated it will take two to three months to work through the backlog."
CAA program manager Manira Cervantes said:
Our commitment is to expend these funds in the most timely manner possible. Our goal is to truly prevent eviction. We don’t want to add to the homelessness and to COVID-19, which is what happens when you have a lot of people out on the street.”
