There are several options for rental assistance in the state of California.

According to COVID19.CA.gov, if you have been financially affected by COVID-19 you may be eligible for: unemployment insurance, eviction protection, mortgage relief, food assistance, utility payment grace periods, and no credit score changes.

You may be asked to provide a declaration for proof of hardship, which you can draft from this sample declaration.

If you have lost your job, you may be eligible for Unemployment insurance benefits. California’s Employment Development Department allows you to check your eligibility for unemployment insurance. You may also check to see how to apply for unemployment insurance.  

In the state of California, you cannot be evicted before February 1, 2021, and if you owe rent due to a COVID-19 hardship between March 4, 2020 and January 20, 2021. You must provide proof of hardship that demonstrates your inability to pay rent. 

In addition, if you are unable to pay rent due to the pandemic, between September 1, 2020 and January 20, 2021, you must pay at least 25 percent of your rent to avoid eviction.