This bill proposes several updates to current statutes regarding the rental assistance program administered by the Department of Economic Security. It introduces a new section, 41-1970, which mandates the establishment of a rental assistance program, requiring the department to adopt rules for application processes and criteria, and to make application forms available online. The bill stipulates that applications must be approved or denied within five business days, with written notifications sent to both tenants and landlords. It also specifies that rental assistance can be granted only once every twelve months for a maximum of three months, and payments will be made directly to landlords unless they refuse to accept them.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that tenants do not need to be delinquent on rent to apply for assistance, and it requires landlords to verify any delinquent balances with the department. It also mandates the establishment of a free financial literacy class for tenants seeking assistance. Furthermore, it includes provisions that prevent landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent during the months covered by rental assistance payments. The bill modifies the housing trust fund by reallocating a portion of funds for the rental assistance program and specifies that fifty percent of certain transferred monies will be dedicated to this purpose.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 41-1970, 41-3955, 42-5029, 44-313, 35-751, 35-313, 35-190