Poor to Get 2nd Chance to Enroll in Federal Rent Subsidy Program

Overwhelmed by more than 350,000 phone calls made by poor residents scrambling to enroll in a federal rent subsidy program, the Los Angeles Housing Authority announced Thursday that applicants will be given a second chance to sign up in January.

The agency on Tuesday reopened the enrollment period for the popular Section 8 program after a three-year hiatus but gave people only four days to apply, setting off a near-panic as tens of thousands tried to call two phone numbers that were perpetually busy.

“There’s no question our phones have been overwhelmed, and we will be reopening the enrollment period in January,” said Carl Covitz, chairman of the Housing Authority Commission.

He added that the current enrollment period will continue until this evening.

Covitz also said that “word has not gotten out” to thousands of families who could have registered in person at 18 senior citizen centers but, lacking the addresses, spent hours unsuccessfully dialing the agency to enroll in the program.

Section 8 provides rental assistance to poor families, the disabled and the elderly. Participants are required to pay only 30% of their income toward rent, while the government pays the difference, up to fair market value, often helping cut rental costs in half.

The reprieve, supported by Mayor Tom Bradley, was welcomed by many of the poor, who expressed disgust over the chaos they encountered when trying to apply.

“I called one senior citizen center, and they insisted that somebody had to come there in person, which is completely asinine in my opinion and discriminatory against people who are sick,” said Bernhard Sandler, 69, a Venice resident who recently underwent chemotherapy and was too ill to leave his home.

One disabled Pasadena resident, who said he has been trying to get a Section 8 subsidy for seven years, said he was “about ready to give up” Thursday after spending three days on the phone but getting only a recording used by the phone company when circuits are busy.

“The phone numbers must be out of order,” he said, exasperated. “Somebody must have made a mistake.”

Before enrollment reopens on an undetermined date in January, Covitz said the agency will launch a publicity campaign to tell applicants to enroll in person. Because of confusion created by using senior citizen centers for walk-in applications, he said, many younger poor people did not apply this week at the centers, even though lines were relatively short.

“Next time, we need to get out the message that this (sign-up) is not only for the elderly, this is for anyone at all” who meets eligibility requirements, Covitz said.

Earlier this week, state Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) attacked the four-day enrollment period as unfair to the city’s poorest residents, who lack telephones, televisions and may not have heard about it.

On Thursday, Roberti praised the extension of the enrollment period but urged housing officials to continue accepting phone calls and walk-in applicants through December.

“It would be a tragedy” if shutting down now created even more confusion and discouraged applicants, Roberti said.

To qualify for the Section 8 program, a household must have an income of no more than $13,950 for a single person, $15,950 for a couple and $19,950 for a family of four. Individuals who enroll are not guaranteed a rent subsidy but will be placed on the first waiting list to be formed in three years.

“There will be so many people on the list that there’s no chance that they will all be selected,” Covitz warned.

About 23,000 households currently are served.