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\n As Eviction Moratorium Looms, Phoenix is Rushing to Distribute Rent Relief\n <\/h1> \n\n

\n \n \n \n \n Katya Schwenk\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n \n\n \n July 19, 2021\n <\/span>\n\n \n 6:00AM\n <\/span>\n\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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\n \n With only two weeks remaining before evictions can resume as normal, Phoenix still has around $32 million in relief funds left to distribute.<\/span>\n \n \n 70023venus2009 via Flickr<\/a><\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n
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\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n On July 31, the federal eviction moratorium will lift. And when it does, thousands of people in Phoenix who are eligible for rent relief will still be waiting.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n
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\n This spring, the city of Phoenix received a $51 million slice of the billions in rental assistance funds that Congress has sent to states and municipalities nationwide, in an effort to alleviate economic hardship brought on by the pandemic. Thousands of low-income renters in Phoenix have inundated the city with applications for the payments, which could cover months of overdue rent. Phoenix closed one of its two application portals because of the high demand.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n
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\n But many of those applications remain trapped in a sluggish bureaucracy, facing months-long wait times for approval. With only two weeks remaining before evictions can resume as normal, Phoenix still has around $32 million in relief funds left to distribute. It’s racing to get the money out before tenants begin to lose their homes.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n
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\n For Kelly McGowan, deputy director of the advocacy group Wildfire AZ, the situation is urgent. \"It’s ramped up the need to get as much money out as fast as possible,” she said. The nonprofit is responsible for distributing half of Phoenix’s relief funds (the other half is being distributed by the city’s human services department). But the approval process takes time: Tenants must prove their eligibility and meet with city case managers; landlords have to cooperate. The city is working with a dozen social services agencies to connect with renters but, ultimately, resources are limited.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n
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