Utah’s federal rental relief funds may be reallocated

SALT LAKE CITY — There’s about $50 million remaining in Utah’s share of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, and the deadline for using it is approaching.

The money was provided through the Treasury Department during the COVID-19 pandemic as it became clear that millions of Americans were facing job losses and a changing economy.  To date, Utah has received $215 million from this fund.

The deadline to use the money is September 30.

The fact that money remains in the fund is an indicator of of Utah’s strong economy said Nate McDonald with the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

“Utah rebounded from the pandemic quicker than any other state. We have the top economy in the country,” McDonald told KSL NewsRadio.

The money is still available for people who need it. But McDonald said the state isn’t in a rush to spend it. 

“There’s not a race to spend this money,” he said. “If we don’t have the applications coming in to be paying out and we have leftover money, then the objective of the program  has been to reallocate it.

McDonald encourages anybody that needs rental assistance to reach out to Utah Rent Relief. 

Simone Seikaly contributed to this report.

 Related reading:

• Struggling to make rent? Uncle Sam is here to help.
• Rent prices up 66% in Utah County over the pandemic
• Rent deferral program eases residents anxiety but raises landlords’

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