BEVERLY HILLS—After approving a $715,000 rent relief program on Tuesday, September 15, the Beverly Hills City Council has decided to add an extra $450,000 with this new measure, which was completed on Tuesday, November 10.

The initial program was approved in an effort to subsidize tenants, who are impacted by the pandemic. The new measure, which gives additional funding, is supposed to directly fund landlords.

Just like the original program approved in September 2020, residents will be eligible for subsidies of up to $1000 per month for the next three months, but will go directly to the landlords, as long as they allow tenants the opportunity to pay back rent for the last year. Tenants will not be evicted, due to being unable to pay rent owed for the prior year.

Tenants in Beverly Hills area will have a three-week period, which began on Monday, November 16 and will run until Monday, December 7 to apply for the program. To be eligible, every applicant must currently reside in a city-owned building, which houses several families in its units.

This does not include condominiums, co-ops, hotels and buildings, which have issued certificates of occupancy after the year 1995. Their rent must be less than $4,000, cannot receive rent subsidies from any other programs, while making less than 80 percent of the area’s median income or $90,100 that contains a family of four.

Applicants receiving priority will be seniors, as well as households with children, who are enrolled in the Beverly Hills Unified School District. They must have a history of not being disruptive tenants. Any other potential increases to funding for the program will be considered at the next city council meeting on December 1, 2020.