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Houston City Council will vote on emergency rent relief program

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Updated  May 5, 2020 10:01pm CDT
COVID-19 and the Economy
FOX 26 Houston

Houston City Council will vote on emergency rent relief

The $15 million rental assistance program looks to help thousands of people struggling to pay rent.

HOUSTON - Thousands of Houstonians are struggling to pay rent, but they may soon get help from the city of Houston as soon as this week.

City council is expected to vote on a $15 million rental assistance program on Wednesday.

Most of the money would come more than $400 million the city is getting as part of the federal CARES Act.

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Houston nonprofit Baker Ripley would run the program by distributing funds to landlords. Tenants would then apply for the money.

If approved, the mayor says the relief website would be up and running by Thursday.

The council is also set to vote on $8 million in HUD funding to help with rent.

But critics of the plan say the money isn't nearly enough to help all the renters in Houston who need help. They believe that the city should do more.

At this point, the program would only cover rent for the months of April and May.

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