Gov. John Bel Edwards unveiled a $24 million fund on Thursday to help Louisiana residents pay their rent, a move aimed at limiting the economic fallout of the coronavirus that affordable-housing advocates said didn't go far enough.

The relief program, which is expected to benefit about 10,000 residents who have seen their income crippled by the pandemic and the related shutdowns, will provide up to three months of direct payments to landlords who house eligible tenants, the governor said.

The announcement comes after advocates have spent months urging the state to provide more housing relief, aid they have said is sorely needed amid lost jobs, the June expiration of a statewide ban on evictions and an upcoming July 31 sunset of a federal unemployment benefit payout.

"We know that there are thousands of Louisiana citizens who will likely need assistance in addition to the funds that we have," Edwards said at a Thursday press conference, adding that the state would continue to look for funds from the federal government.

At least one leading housing advocacy group, HousingLOUISIANA, panned the program as an inadequate solution for the tens of thousands unemployed Louisiana residents who need or will soon need assistance. Under their own estimate, the group said, the state should be providing upwards of $250 million in rent relief.

"We continue to be confounded at the refusal to make sure that Louisianans have homes to shelter in, can keep those homes, and are not digging themselves into a mountain of debt" to pay their rent, said the group's president Andreanecia Morris, who is also the executive director of New Orleans housing advocacy group HousingNOLA.

Across Louisiana, 312,893 residents had filed for continued unemployment benefits as of Saturday, with another 26,351 filing for unemployment for the first time. The claims have come amid a widespread slowdown in economic activity, particularly in tourism and hospitality. Bars across the state have been ordered closed, save those that serve food or offer takeout, and restaurants and other businesses that have remained open have seen far fewer customers under state and parish restrictions meant to slow the spread of the disease.

Although between 82% and 87% of renters statewide have been making their payments on time and evictions have not been high, that scenario is likely to change once a $600 weekly federal unemployment benefits boost goes away at the end of July, Louisiana Housing Corp. Executive Director Keith Cunningham said Thursday. Louisiana's maximum weekly unemployment payout is only $247. 

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, which handles evictions for low-income renters in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, said it's been deluged with calls for help since a statewide moratorium on evictions ended in June. The group's eviction case intake has nearly tripled compared to the same time period last year, from 32 to 93.

It's for those reasons that HousingLOUISIANA and other groups have been calling for a minimum of $250 million in rent assistance to help more than 142,000 renters meet their payments through the end of the year. The estimated rental need is based on Enterprise Community Partners’ analysis of economic forecasts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, as well as unemployed assistance currently offered to households. 

Morris said other COVID-19 relief funds the state has received should be allocated to providing housing, particularly after a National Low Income Housing Coalition report out this week showed that the average renter in the state was already struggling to afford housing even before the coronavirus pandemic. "The math doesn't add up," she said. 

Edwards said the state will look to tap in the coming months federal housing grants that Louisiana was promised under the first version of the federal CARES act. He said other funding opportunities might materialize after Congress considers "Phase 4" coronavirus legislation this month. 

In the meantime, the $24 million rental assistance program, which begins Thursday, is expected to offer $7 million initially, and the rest later. Residents can get their rent covered for up to three months, with payments made directly to their landlord. They can apply by calling 211 or visiting louisianarenthelp.com.

The program is available to households earning 30% of area median income or less, or for a household of one, $13,500 a year. For a household of four, that averages out to about $19,300 a year. 

Eligible applicants must not be receiving federal housing assistance from other sources. They must have lost income due to the disease and must be at risk of being evicted. Renters are not eligible if their landlord is a relative. 

Renters are still eligible if they are receiving COVID-19 unemployment benefits, but they should list those benefits on their applications, according to the program's website. 

"We will be constantly monitoring how these funds are being used to determine if there are ways that we can improve the process and increase those individuals who will be able to apply," Cunningham said. 

"As you all are aware, we have an affordable housing shortage in the state, and (coronavirus) just exacerbates that," he said.  

Staff writer Matt Sledge contributed to this report. 

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