The San Diego Housing Commission received more than $7 million from the city and county to help people left homeless by the January floods. The funds went to those who were still using hotel vouchers when the program ended in June.

They provided 359 eligible families with monthly payments up to the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment, as well as assistance with costs not covered by other financial assistance programs, such as application fees, security deposits, storage and moving costs.

So far, only about $1.3 million in payments have been paid out – not because the applications of eligible families were not approved, but because it is extremely difficult to find affordable housing even with rental subsidies.

The floods hit some of San Diego’s poorest neighborhoods hardest, forcing black and Latino communities in particular to flee.

Many lived with other families or with multiple roommates and had been living in their own homes for a long time, said Azucena Valladolid, vice president of rental assistance at the San Diego Housing Commission.

Their rents haven’t kept pace with the rapid growth of the San Diego real estate market, she says, and suddenly they’re faced with rents that are higher than their monthly income.

The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom home in the county is $2,265, Valladolid said. The average monthly income of displaced households is less than $1,800.

The biggest obstacle is insufficient income, she said, but there are often many others, such as eviction notices and inadequate credit and employment history.

Because of these challenges, the Commission added the option of a one-time payment of up to $15,100 in late July.

Since the introduction of the lump sum payment option, more families have received support, but much work remains to be done to effectively distribute the Commission’s flood relief funds.

Valladolid said that among the eligible families who have not applied – there are still 90 – there are likely to be people without legal immigration status.

This program was intended to give special priority to families who were not eligible for FEMA assistance.

However, Valladolid said it could be difficult to convince these families that applying was safe.

“They are afraid of dealing with a government agency, even though we don’t ask for immigration status or social security numbers. None of that is a requirement of the program,” she said.

The deadline ends at the end of August.

Apply online at floodassistance.sdhc.org.