NEW ORLEANS — For a second straight day, hundreds of people lined up at Joe Brown Park to secure rental assistance.
The City of New Orleans last month quickly exhausted its share of federal money dedicated to helping people stay in their homes. Thousands of tenants are now waiting for more funding to be delivered.
“No one wants to be here. No one wants to do all this paperwork so they can get by for another two months. No one is actually having a good time, and no one is scamming the government or anything here. We’re literally just trying to survive,” Cas said.
Cas lives in New Orleans and works at a bar. Like 11,000 other renters in New Orleans, she’s signing up for rental assistance.
“I also go to school. So, it’s hard to make sure you can pay for tuition, books and stuff,” Cas said.
The federal government directed roughly half a billion dollars to Louisiana to help people pay their rent, but most of it hasn’t been distributed. Everyone who went to Joe Brown Park was waiting for money that hasn’t even arrived.
The director of the office of Housing Policy and Community Development for the City of New Orleans said the next disbursement of federal rental assistance should arrive later this week or next week.
“I think people are hopeful and I think they trust New Orleans is doing everything they can to get the funds out to them,” Marjorianna Willman with the City of New Orleans.
Some children sat in strollers as their mothers signed up. Other kids did their best to the pass time. They’re among tens of thousands of families in Louisiana considered to be housing insecure.
Michael Rodriguez is self-employed. For a time, he was close to losing his apartment. Many people in line on Wednesday could relate.
“Close to six months or eight months for me. It was scary, for everybody. Nobody knew what was going to happen, where they were going to go,” Rodriguez said.
The Clerk of First City Court set up a table to make sure tenants took the necessary steps to prevent evictions under the temporary ban on evictions.
“What affects me the most is keeping my head above water, living paycheck-to-paycheck, to only pay rent, have money for nothing else,” Tinishika Crocoft said.
Crocoft is a cook and says she’s worked throughout the pandemic. She’s heard the criticism about government help and those who need it. She and others are holding out for help, and perhaps, for some understanding.
“The world has too many humans and not enough souls,” Crocoft said.
The final day of the rental assistance event will be Thursday, Aug. 12, at Joe Brown Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.