Woman facing eviction in DC after being unable to access rental assistance application
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Many District residents may be facing eviction after encountering a broken website this week while trying to apply for rental assistance.
The application portal is now closed after officials received 3,500 applications.
Fatima Ogunmilade said this was the second time she tried applying but with no luck. She lives in the Woodner Apartments in Mount Pleasant and is facing eviction.
She was one of thousands who tried logging on Tuesday at noon when applications opened. But the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) application portal crashed as soon as it opened.
Thousands were frustrated including Ogunmilade.
“Because I had to work and I had a limited time to do the application and it was closed by 5 p.m.,” she said.
She faced the same exact problem in October and says she needs the money because she’s facing eviction and is unable to reach an agreement with her landlord about her outstanding balance.
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“You have to meet the person where the person is financially,” Ogunmilade said. “If the outstanding balance is high and on top of the rent that you have to pay in monthly, it’s not something most people can do, especially me.”
As a single mother with a disability and a son with autism, she said she needs help.
“This is something that’s causing people a lot of consternation, a lot of heartache, because not everybody is going to get the money that they need,” said At-Large Councilmember Robert White.
White says the issues are avoidable with better funding.
“This is just a really devastating impact of underfunding year after year, an incredibly important agency and important programs,” White said.
White says in addition to the $40 million local dollars for ERAP, the council earmarked an additional $20 million in federal dollars but he says the mayor is withholding that money.
The Department of Human Services did not return DC News Now’s request for comment Tuesday or Wednesday.
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Ogunmilade was in court on Wednesday with her landlord and has a mediation trial set for June.
The ERAP portal will open again for applications on April 1 and July 1, each accepting 3,500 applications.
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