Treasury: Most COVID rental aid went to low-income residents

By MICHAEL CASEY and FATIMA HUSSEIN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department has concluded that more than 80% of the billions of dollars in federal rental assistance during the pandemic went to low-income tenants. Treasury also finds that the largest percentage of tenants receiving pandemic aid were Black households and that many were led by women. In the fourth quarter of 2021, Treasury found that more than 40% of tenants getting help were Black and 20% Latino while two-thirds were female-headed households. Lawmakers approved $46.5 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance last year. Through 2021, Treasury says more than $25 billion has been spent or allocated, which represents 3.8 million payments to households.