Rental Assistance
Pandemic Rental Assistance
The Ventura County Pandemic Rental Assistance (VCPRA) program may provide temporary rental assistance for Ventura County residents who:
- Owe past-due rent because they have experienced a particular loss due to COVID-19;
- Have very low incomes;
- Meet all program criteria; and
- Ensure a complete application.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant/tenant is a Ventura County resident
- Applicant’s/tenant’s income was impacted due to COVID-19 (i.e., loss of employment, loss of work hours, inability to work due to child care or family/elder care needs, and/or substantial medical costs)
- Applicant’s/tenant’s annual household income is less than 80% Area Median Income (AMI) with priority on annual household income of less than 50% AMI (see chart below)
- Applicant/tenant’s name is on the Rental/Lease Agreement
- Applicant/tenant is unable to pay rent that is past due
- Only one tenant per household may apply; 2+ roommates who are not part of the same household may apply
| Maximum Annual Household Gross Income | Persons in Applicant’s/Tenant’s Household | |||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| Very Low Income (up to 50% AMI) | $39,550 | $45,200 | $50,850 | $56,450 | $61,000 | $65,500 | $70,000 | $74,550 |
| Low Income (51-80% AMI) | $63,250 | $72,300 | $81,350 | $90,350 | $97,600 | $104,850 | $112,050 | $119,300 |
| Source: https://www.ahacv.org/income_limits.shtml | ||||||||
How to Apply
- Applicant/Tenant: Complete the online application. This should take about 15 minutes and should ideally be completed in one session. After you submit an application that is potentially eligible, we will contact the person or company to whom you pay rent (identified in your application) for additional information. The person to whom you pay rent must complete all required steps by 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2020, in order for your application to be considered complete. You will need to …
- Answer all mandatory questions
- Upload scan of proof of identity (e.g., driver’s license, state identification card, military ID, passport, or other form of government-issued identification)
- Provide your email address
- Provide the email address of the person to whom you pay rent
- Provide further documentation if requested during program audits
- Landlord/Property Manager: Once the applicant/tenant submits the application, you will receive an email with a request to do the following through a provided link:
- Upload the Rental/Lease Agreement (must have applicant’s name on it)
- Attest that the applicant owes rent
- Provide your Tax ID or last four digits of Social Security Number
The application period for this program closed on July 1, 2020.
No additional applications will be accepted.
This is not a first-come, first-served process. Rather, a computerized selection (lottery) process will be used to select eligible applicants, if there are more eligible households than total funding can support. Every eligible application (maximum of 1 per household) submitted during the application period has the same chance of being selected during the lottery. After applying, tenant/landlord applicants should look for emailed information from @CommunityOS.org regarding application status. Please allow up to 5 weeks for processing. For more information or assistance to apply, please email VCPandemicRentalAssistance@ventura.org. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response, due to high volume. Note: VCPRA is federally funded by the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and prioritizes rental assistance for those with very low incomes who have been unable to pay rent due to the impacts of COVID-19. The federal government does not list CRF assistance as a public benefit for the purposes of determining public charge. However, the federal government has not issued specific guidance related to this assistance. If you have questions about how receiving this assistance could potentially affect your immigration status, please consult an immigration attorney. More information, including a list of free and low-cost immigration services providers, is available in the Guide for Immigrant Californians.
The Ventura County Pandemic Rental Assistance (VCPRA) program provides funds to assist low-income, eligible County residents with unpaid rent due to pandemic-related hardship. It also provides financial relief for landlords and property owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is intended to stabilize housing for the lowest-income residents and those at greatest risk due to loss of employment, loss of work hours, the inability to work due to child care needs, family/elder care needs, or substantial medical costs due to COVID-19.
Basic Eligibility Requirements:
- Ventura County resident
- Income was impacted due to COVID-19
- Low-income of less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with priority given to very low-income households with an annual income less than 50% AMI
- Applicant’s name is on the Rental/Lease Agreement
- Inability to pay rent that is past due
After you submit an application that is potentially eligible, we will contact the person or company to whom you pay rent (identified in your application) for additional information. The person to whom you pay rent must complete all required steps by 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2020, in order for your application to be considered complete. You will receive an email regarding your application status and may come back to this portal to check on your status. VCPRA program funding is not guaranteed. Please allow up to 5 weeks for processing and potential approval, which could include use of a computerized lottery system to select eligible households for funding at random if there are more eligible households than total funding can support. If a household is funded, a paper check will be mailed directly to the person or company who is owed rent.
Amounts are based on rental unit size, $1,500 for a studio/1-bedroom and $2,500 for a 2-bedroom or larger, with a maximum of two months of rent owed.
No. This is not a loan; it is a grant and will not have to be paid back. However, if the County discovers that a recipient has falsified documents or has otherwise defrauded the program, the money will need to be repaid.
No, the funding will be paid directly to the person or company who is owed rent.
Rental assistance payments will be mailed directly to the person or company who is owed rent.
Applicants must provide the following documentation:
- Copy of government-issued identification
- Proof of Ventura County Residency
- Rental Agreement/Landlord Attestation
- Utility bills
- Notice of Action verifying receiving benefits
- COVID-19 Impact
- Paystubs or bank statements showing loss or reduction of income
- Notice of school or work closure
- Proof of medical care need or expenses
- Proof of Income
- Paystubs, bank statements
- Tax return
- Benefits Award Letter including but not limited to unemployment insurance benefits; social security; disability; pension; retirement; veteran’s benefits
No. VCPRA does not ask about immigration status.
No. If an applicant is receiving any other rental subsidy (i.e., Section 8; public housing assistance, General Relief, etc.), they are not eligible for VCPRA funds.
June 17, 2020 – July 1, 2020 (11:59 p.m.)
The review and approval process may take up to 5 weeks.
Payment checks will be issued and mailed five to seven business days from the date the application is funded.
The Ventura County Pandemic Rental Assistance (VCPRA) program provides funds to assist low-income, eligible County residents with unpaid rent due to pandemic-related hardship. It also provides financial relief for landlords and property owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is intended to stabilize housing for the lowest-income residents and those at greatest risk due to loss of employment, loss of work hours, the inability to work due to child care needs, family/elder care needs, or substantial medical costs due to COVID-19.
The landlord will be asked to upload a copy of the Rental/Lease Agreement and submit an attestation online indicating rent is owed to you and including the following information:
- Rental address
- Monthly rental agreement rates
- Names of tenants residing in the unit
- Number of bedrooms
- To whom the check is payable with address for mailing
- Your Tax ID or last four digits of SSN
- Certification of providing true and correct information
No. VCPRA does not ask about immigration status.
Yes. The amount issued is based on rental unit size, $1,500 for a studio/1-bedroom and $2,500 for a 2-bedroom or larger, with a maximum of two months of rent owed.
Your tenant will receive email communication regarding the status of their case.
This is one-time assistance and is limited to a dollar amount, as described above, rather than tied to months of rent owed. This program may assist for a maximum of two months of rent owed.
Yes, the County will only pay the landlord directly. A paper check will be issued and mailed by the County of Ventura.
Payment checks will be issued and mailed five to seven business days from the date the application is funded.
We recommend that you contact your tax preparer.
No. This is not a loan; it is a grant and will not have to be paid back.
What happens if the tenant gets behind again or does not get fully caught up with this payment?
- Can this program help my tenant again if this happens?
- Are tenants responsible for the remaining balance?
- If I accept rental funds from the County, does that waive my right to file an eviction for the remaining balance owed or to file an eviction in the future?
The VCPRA program offers one-time assistance, serving as bridge funding for residential rent. While the funding may not fully cover monthly rent, it will assist in reducing amounts owed. Tenants are responsible for any rental arrears owed after receipt of payment is applied. We would suggest you seek the advice of a legal representative.