Orange County

COVID-19 Eviction
Diversion Program

Roseann Harrington
Dianne Arnold
Mitchell Glasser
Andrea Wesser-Brawner

August 11, 2020

 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction
Diversion Program – Program Details

• Requesting $20 million of CARES Act Funding

– $11 million for very low income
– $8 million for low income
– $1 million for moderate income

• Tenant must be in imminent danger of eviction

• Must have a documented COVID-19 impact

• Priority given to families and seniors 65 and older

• Provide payment for rent accrued from April 1 to

September 1 2
 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction
Diversion Program – Program Details

• Online web portal opens August 25

• Tenant or landlord can initiate the process, but both

must agree to participate

• Payment for $4,000 with the landlord waiving the

remainder

• Payments will be sent to the landlord

• Orange County Bar will administer the program with

final review and payment by Orange County
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Orange County COVID-19 Eviction Diversion
Program – Orange County Income Limits

INCOME CATEGORY
Area Median Income: $68,100 (Family of 4)

HOUSEHOLD VERY LOW LOW MODERATE

SIZE
(50% of AMI) (80% of AMI) (100% of AMI)
1 $25,450 $40,750 $47,650
2 $29,100 $46,550 $54,500
3 $32,750 $52,350 $61,300
4 $36,350 $58,150 $68,100
5 $39,300 $62,850 $73,550
6 $42,200 $67,500 $79,000
7 $45,100 $72,150 $84,450
8 $48,000 $76,800 $89,900
Orange County Housing and Community Development Division
Effective: April 1, 2020

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 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction Diversion
Program – Tenant Criteria
ELIGIBLE TENANT CRITERIA
 Orange County resident
 Property is the tenant’s primary residence
 Lease is in the tenant’s name and
responsible for paying a portion or the full
amount
 One or more members of the household
experienced a documented, involuntary loss
of income that occurred due to the COVIC-19
public health emergency
 Date of job loss, reduction in employment
hours or pay occurred between March 13
(Orange County Stay at Home Order Issued)
and September 1, 2020
 Must have received an eviction notice, letter
from their landlord to participate in the
program or referral from the court
 At least two months behind in rent
and the arrears were accrued
between April 1 and August 11, 2020
 No other person in the household has
applied for or will apply for the
Orange County Eviction Diversion
Program
 Required to certify their household
income prior to and after April 1
 Eligibility is income-based (50, 80,
and 100% of AMI)
 Demonstrates ability to pay rent after
arrears are paid by Orange County
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Orange County COVID-19 Eviction Diversion
Program – Landlord Criteria

ELIGIBLE LANDLORD CRITERIA

 Orange County will pay up to $4,000 and the landlord agrees to

waive any remainder

 Agrees not to continue the eviction process if they participate in

the Orange County Eviction Diversion Program

 Landlord and tenant have a contractual agreement through

December 31, 2020 and the landlord agrees to sign a work-out
agreement with the tenant that ensures they will not initiate the
tenant eviction process for 60-days after receiving payment
from Orange County or they mutually agree to end the lease
sooner

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 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction
Diversion Program – Partnership with
the Orange County Bar Association

Relevant Experience

Previously created and facilitated community mediation programs to address

the foreclosure crisis during the Great Recession

Eviction Diversion Program

Orange County Bar Association would:

(1) process each application for the Eviction Diversion Program;

(2) provide customer service, application processing, priority triage, and

referrals to community legal service programs if applicant does not meet
program criteria;

(3) direct completed and valid applications to Orange County Family

Services

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 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction Diversion
Program – Process

ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

PROMOTE PRE-SCREENINGS OF OC BAR SCREENS, APPROVAL OF

PROGRAM LANDLORDS AND REVIEWS AND ENSURES FUNDS &
TENANTS COMPLETENESS OF DISBURSEMENT
Tenant Meets FORMS; REFERS TO
Requirements LEGAL AID OR CLS IF
TENANT NEEDS
ASSISTANCE WITH
LANDLORD

Referred to
Tenant Does
Other Social
Not Meet
Services
Requirements
Programs

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 Orange County COVID-19 Eviction
Diversion Program – Recommendation

Approval of the Orange County COVID-19

Eviction Diversion Program including the use of
up to $20 million in CARES Funding; and
delegation of signature authority to Mayor or
designee to execute a contract, including
amendments and modifications between
Orange County and the Orange County Bar
Association for the administration of the
program

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Questions?

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