H.B. No. 744 Summary

• Establishes the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program administered by the Development Services Agency for 60 days or until state funds are exhausted, providing rental assistance for months beginning April 2020.

• Eligible assistance groups must include at least one U.S. citizen, national, or qualified alien and provide documentation of social security numbers, income, rent amount, and liquid assets; applicants cannot have fraudulently received prior assistance.

• Eligible groups may receive either a standard assistance amount (up to $1,500 or one month's rent, whichever is less) or an accumulated assistance amount for groups owing multiple months of rent, with assistance paid directly to landlords.

• Landlords who manipulate rents to obtain greater benefits face criminal penalties: first-degree misdemeanor, or fifth-degree felony if benefits exceed $1,000.

• Appropriates $269,155,419 from the General Revenue Fund for the program and declares the act an emergency measure effective immediately to address COVID-19 rental assistance needs.