Congressman Cleaver Announces Over $30 Million In Rental Assistance to Missouri’s 5th Congressional District
Funding From Latest COVID-19 Relief Package Passed By Congress Will Go to Municipalities To Combat Eviction Crisis
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced the allocation of over $30 million in rental assistance to municipalities within the 5th Congressional District of Missouri. The announcement comes one week following Cleaver's call for the Biden Administration to immediately disburse the $25 billion in rental assistance passed by Congress in December's COVID-19 relief package.
"The eviction crisis is one that continues to grow with each passing day, as thousands of Missourians have been displaced from their home since March," said Congressman Cleaver. "I'm relieved to see the Biden Administration has placed a priority on assisting renters and responded to my calls for greater urgency by allocating critically needed rental assistance to avoid an eviction tsunami. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, and will give these jurisdictions greater awareness as they begin planning for how to best utilize this money, it is also imperative that Treasury now provide municipalities with the guidance and guardrails needed to actually release it to the public. Until that happens, I will continue to push for action."
According to the Department of Treasury (Treasury), the following municipalities will receive rental assistance directly from Treasury:
- Kansas City - $14,814,859;
- Jackson County - $11,550,205; and
- Clay County - $3,640,434.
Last week, Congressman Cleaver called on the Biden Administration to immediately issue the amount of rental assistance cities and municipalities would receive directly from Treasury as well as guidance on how the funding could be spent. Additionally, Cleaver called on the administration to strengthen the national moratorium on evictions, as some localities have found loopholes that allow for evictions to continue. You can read Congressman Cleaver's letter to the Biden Administration 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, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Haydin Brady at 202-538-4326 or Haydin.Brady@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.
