A new proposal from Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez calls for earmarking $100 million in Federal CARES Act funds to create a relief program for renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People are desperate and struggling throughout our City and housing is their biggest burden,” said Martinez in a news release. “I am particularly concerned about Angelenos on the edge of homelessness – our working poor, people who are seeing little to no relief from the federal government. This $100 million will be a tremendous help to many, but we need significantly more housing assistance from the federal government if we’re going to keep all Angelenos in their homes after this pandemic ends. This City Council will continue to call for more assistance on the federal and state level, but no doubt, these funds represent a hopeful starting point.”

The program would be restricted to renters earning 80 percent or less than the area median income that can prove that they have faced health or economic impacts resulting from the coronavirus.

The Los Angeles Times, citing data from the City's Housing and Community Investment Department, reports that a $100-million program could provide a $1,350 subsidy for roughly 74,000 households for a period of two months.

The proposal will first be considered by the Council's Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Recovery before being voted on by the full Council.

The City Council has previously adopted several relief and protective measures for Los Angeles renters during the crisis, including temporary bans on evictions and rent hikes.  However, a more ambitious suite of policy proposals - including a full eviction moratorium - has twice been voted down by the Council.