San Diego county opened applications for rental assistance for small landlords on Wednesday.
The Rental Assistance for Small Landlords program is a county-wide program aimed at helping landlords operating less than five rental units.
Qualifying landlords may receive up to $15,000 per unit in late rent dating back to April 2020.
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On September 3, another program to help tenants with security deposits will be available. The Security Deposit Assistance Program helps renters with security deposits when moving to a new rental unit.
Assistance with late rent and utilities is also available, but all of the applications are online. City of Oceanside Housing Program manager Maria Yanez said that has made some people reluctant to apply for help.
“In a tech savvy world you would think everybody would be up to par with technology,” Yanez said. “We've had a lot of individuals who have limited capacity with what they can and cannot do online. Many don't know how to maneuver an online portal, let alone upload documents.”
Yanez said many times people needing assistance prefer a face to face meeting versus online help or over the phone.
That’s why the county is relying on community based organizations like the Vista Community Clinic to help.
“I think the county learned a lot from the trusted messenger model that's been issued out for other efforts," said Herminia Ramirez, the clinic's program manager for outreach in migrant health. "So I think there's a lot to be said for that type of approach and really putting resources into the community.”
Ramirez said many community members question the assistance programs and any future consequences they may have
“There's a lot of questions and unknowns for community members... It's hard for them to trust in this type of assistance and particularly with the population we serve and we focus on in my program, which is the migrant and farmworker population. Immigration adds a whole other layer of having to build that trust for them to engage in services,” she said.
A county spokesperson said, “Immigration and Citizenship status is not a factor or a question on the applications for any of the programs.”
