• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Finance

With distributions lagging, Treasury Department makes it easier for people to get rental assistance

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 25, 2021, 6:00 PM ET

The Treasury Department’s fund for renters facing possible eviction due to the pandemic has distributed just 11% of the available funds to date. So the government is taking steps to make it easier for states to get cash to people in distress.

The Treasury Department, on Wednesday, announced a series of new policies that it hopes will expedite distribution of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds. This follows news that total disbursements have hit $5.1 billion, a drop in the bucket of the $46.5 billion rental aid program.

As of July 31, there have been roughly 1 million payments to people at risk of eviction. July alone saw 340,000, breaking June’s record. Hundreds of thousands of applications are still backlogged, putting strain on both tenants and landlords.

“Too many grantees have yet to demonstrate sufficient progress in getting assistance to struggling tenants and landlords,” the department said in a statement. “After September, programs that are unwilling or unable to deliver assistance quickly will be at risk of having their rental assistance funding reallocated to effective programs in other high-need areas.”

Applicants can now self-attest to financial hardship, risk of homelessness, and income shortfalls without having to immediately supply other forms of documentation. That alone could clear up one of the biggest logjams but could also increase potential fraud. The White House maintains that the fraud risk is minimal compared to the wave of evictions that could be looming.

State and local governments can also now advance financial assistance to landlords and utility companies—and can work with nonprofits to deliver assistance to households at risk, even while their applications are being processed.

Emergency funds can now be used to pay outstanding debt as people search for new housing, too. And they can be used to cover court hearings or eviction appeals tied to their rental troubles.

The Biden administration is rushing to distribute the funds as it fears the current eviction moratorium could be struck down at any time.

More politics coverage from Fortune:

  • The true cost of the 20-year war in Afghanistan, in 5 charts
  • What a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan means for the rest of the world
  • Is “Big Day Care” the solution to America’s childcare woes—or is it risky to mix profits and toddlers?
  • Commentary: The infrastructure bill shows why Congress must stop enabling bad behavior by cities and states
  • The politics behind President Biden’s plan to lower prescription drug prices

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

man giving child keys to home
EconomyWealth
A study finds escaping your income bracket no longer means building wealth. That disconnect may be what’s driving consumer pessimism to record highs
By Jake AngeloMay 27, 2026
35 minutes ago
crfb
Economynational debt
Interest on the national debt is eating a record 19% of federal revenue — and watchdog warns it will get worse
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
2 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
EconomyWealth
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
By Tristan BoveMay 27, 2026
2 hours ago
Frustrated man in work meeting
SuccessCareers
Real estate billionaire launched his entire career after being called the ‘worst analyst’ and quitting his cushy job at Goldman Sachs
By Emma BurleighMay 27, 2026
4 hours ago
new
Big TechObituary
Donald Newhouse saw the internet coming in 2004. His newspapers still weren’t ready
By Scott Mayerowitz and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
4 hours ago
leo
InnovationAutos
Ferrari presents Pope with its first ever electric car, stock plunges 8%
By Alexa St. John and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
6 days ago
Uber burned through its entire 2026 AI budget in four months. Now its COO is questioning whether it's worth it
AI
Uber burned through its entire 2026 AI budget in four months. Now its COO is questioning whether it's worth it
By Jake AngeloMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 26, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.