The Beverly Hills City Council grappled with the impact of COVID-19 on the city’s most vulnerable at its March 2 meetings. At the Study Session, the Council heard updates on the city’s rent relief program targeted at those affected by the pandemic. The Council voted to approve a Neighborhood Slow Streets Program, which would allow residential blocks to restrict their roadways to local traffic only. Finally, the Council voted at the Regular Session to overhaul the city’s process of soliciting and securing contracts for goods and services.
In response to the mounting pressure on renters by the economic toll of COVID-19, the City Council approved the creation of a rent subsidy program at its Sept. 15 Regular Meeting. Though initially vested with $715,000, the Council expanded the program to $1.1 million in December. The program applied to tenants living on multi-family properties that fall under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), prioritizing seniors and households with children enrolled in Beverly Hills Unified School District. The program offered eligible residents up to $1,000 for three months to make up the remaining balance of unpaid rent. The funds went directly to the landlord under the condition that the landlord grant the tenant a year to repay back rent. In return, participating landlords will also have to agree not to evict tenants for a year. The program is administered by Jewish Family Services (JFS), a non-profit that offers a range of services throughout L.A.
