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Emergency rental assistance still available for Phoenix residents

Posted at 8:27 PM, Sep 17, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-17 23:27:23-04

A Valley woman facing eviction received good news on Friday.

After months of uncertainty, Carolyn Moore, 67, found out she wasn't going to be evicted. At least not yet.

"What am I going to do?" she asked a few hours before getting the news.

"I'm trying to find something to rent, and everything is so freaking expensive and even if I'm like 'OK, I'll squeeze every last cent' I can't qualify because they want you to make three times your income," Moore added.

According to Moore, she lives off her social security check. She said veterinary bills, car problems and the rising cost of food have made things difficult.

Thanks to the city and funds from the federal government, Moore's past rent will be taken care of.

According to a spokesperson with the City of Phoenix, the city has disbursed more than $35 million to residents through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program since it launched in early March.

Funds for this program come from the U.S. Department of Treasury, which also establishes the guidelines on who is eligible for these funds.

Moore said she applied for the funds months ago but, according to the city, her landlord didn't turn in the proper paperwork.

The city has managed to help more than 4,000 households. However, there are still thousands of applications that haven't been processed.

A spokesperson told ABC15 that they began hiring 50 extra employees in August. They're also going to expand hours of operations at the Family Services Center to six days a week.

For more information on the city's emergency rental assistance, click here.

Neighbors have also started a GoFundMe page for Moore and another resident experiencing financial problems.