Help your tenants find assistance paying their rent
Emergency Rent & Utility Assistance Program for households affected by COVID-19
Has your tenants’ income been affected by COVID-19?
You may be eligible for grant assistance that doesn’t have to be paid back.
If so, they may qualify for rent assistance, and you may be able to receive up to 12 months of rent paid for by the Emergency Rent & Utility Assistance Program.
Rent Assistance that doesn’t have to be paid back is available in Bakersfield and Kern County
Landlords can start the application process on behalf of their tenants.
Assistance from the Housing Authority is available until September 30, 2025, or sooner if funds run out. If your tenants are eligible, they may receive up to 12 months of assistance, plus an additional 3 months to help ensure they’re able to remain in their rental unit.
The program prioritizes paying late rent or utility bills that could result in an eviction, and grants must be used to reduce any past-due balances before recipients can receive assistance for future rent payments.
Your tenants don’t have to be behind on their rent to apply. If their income has been affected by COVID-19, they may qualify for assistance.
How does the Rent and Utility Assistance Program Work?
You Start an Application
Begin an application on behalf of your tenants online, by mail or in-person.
Your Tenants Finish the Application
Your tenants will provide household information, including how their income has been affected by COVID-19.
We Review
We will review all applications to determine eligibility and grant assistance. We will notify recipients once a determination has been made.
We Pay
Assistance will be paid directly to you, the landlord.
Tenant Eligibility Information
Your tenants may qualify for assistance if they meet the following requirements:
- At least one member of their household qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19
- Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability;
- Have a household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI); and
- Are a renter in the City of Bakersfield or Kern County, including unincorporated Kern County and all other municipalities within the county
Income Limits to Qualify for Assistance
Additional Eligibility Information
- Rental assistance provided to an eligible household should not be duplicative of any other federally funded rental assistance provided to such household
- Eligible households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance and households at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income are to be prioritized for assistance.
- Household income is determined as either the household’s total income for the calendar year 2020 or the household’s monthly income at the time of application. For household incomes determined using the latter method, income eligibility must be redetermined every 3 months.
5 Ways to Apply for Assistance
- Landlords with rental units in the City of Bakersfield: Click here to apply online
- Landlords with units in all other parts of Kern County: Click here to apply online
- Click here to download and print a Landlord Application in English
- Click here to download and print a Landlord Application in Spanish
- Pick up an application and apply in person at 601 24th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301
We recommend using Google Chrome for the best online application experience.
Apply today, before funds run out.
The Emergency Rental & Utility Assistance program lasts until September 30 2025, or sooner if funds run out.
Apply today to find out if your renters qualify for grant assistance that will be paid directly to you.
