Rental assistance spending in June surpassed the entire year's total so far, but there's still a long way to go.

"Emergency rental relief reached far more tenants and landlords in June than in previous months, reflecting delayed progress as the Biden administration, states and cities attempt to stave off an eviction crisis later this summer," reports Rachel Siegel.
As much money was paid to households in need of assistance in June as January through May combined, according to Siegel. Despite the progress, the pace of relief is slow relative to the amount of money available to support households through the economic consequences of the pandemic:
But housing experts caution there is a long way to go. Only about $3 billion was spent on rent, utilities and arrears through June — just a fraction of the $46 billion, in total, Congress appropriated for emergency rental aid. The vast majority of the money has not been spent while states and cities struggle to prop up programs that get money out the door.
Diane Yentel, president and chief executive of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, is quoted in the article noting that many states and cities have yet to provide any assistance to renters in need.
Indeed, Treasury data released Wednesday shows spotty progress. Some states saw encouraging jumps — the state of Illinois went from reporting zero assistance in the first five months of the year to $95.4 million in June, in large part because state officials took so long to build the program. California’s spending more than doubled in June to $74.4 million, up from $30.2 million in May.
Other places continued to lag behind or didn’t see major increases in spending, according to the Treasury data. Idaho paid out $1 million in rental assistance in May, and $1.1 million in June. Nevada paid out $2.6 million in May, then paid out less — $700,000 — in June.
For details about why some states have suddenly ramped up spending, click through to the source article.
For more reading on how to speed up rental assistance programs, see a recent article that listed three ideas to accomplish that goal.
FULL STORY: Rental relief programs ramped up in June, but fears mount that momentum may be coming too late

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

California Moves to Limit Autonomous Trucks
A bill passed by the State Assembly and moving on to the Senate would require autonomous semi trucks to have a trained human operator in the vehicle.

Minnesota Budget Includes Significant Transit Investments
After a contentious debate, the state legislature passed a budget that changes how transportation projects are funded and supports increased transit service in the state.

Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
City of Orange
City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.