Rep. Cleaver Announces Additional $1.6 Million in Emergency Rental Assistance Headed to Kansas City

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) will allocate an additional $1,644,394 in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds to the City of Kansas City, MO to assist renters facing financial hardship and prevent evictions. The funding—provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, which Cleaver supported—was originally allocated to the State of Missouri but was reallocated by Treasury after it went unused. Treasury prioritizes the reallocation of state funds to local grantees within a state that have a demonstrated need and have shown success in getting rental assistance into the hands of families facing urgent crisis.

“President Biden’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program continues to provide much needed relief to renters in Kansas City, helping families maintain financial stability and stay in their homes,” said Congressman Cleaver. “While we’ve seen remarkable progress in our economic recovery from the global pandemic, it’s clear that there is still a need to provide assistance to the most financially vulnerable Americans, particularly in underserved communities. As this funding finally makes its way to my constituents in the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri, I want to recognize the City for their tireless effort to get this funding into the hands of Missourians who need it most. I look forward to our continued collaboration in expanding access to affordable housing and keeping Kansas Citians housed.”

According to Treasury, the Department continues to reallocate Emergency Rental Assistance funds that may have otherwise gone unused, deploying funds to areas with high demonstrated need and creating incentives for communities to expeditiously connect households with the federal aid. Studies have shown that the distribution of Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds has gone to low-income and/or traditionally underserved renters of color.

More information on Treasury’s reallocation of Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.