NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans has exhausted more than $18 million in rental assistance money but says an additional $23 million could be on the way.

The assistance helps people who are behind on their rent as well as property owners/landlords who need the money for their businesses.

The money comes from a pair of federal programs that provide the cash for states and cities to distribute. The city says that the guidelines are more flexible for one of the programs which makes it easier to distribute those funds.

Of the $23 million that’s expected to arrive next, about $14 million comes from the more restricted program and the rest from the other with the more relaxed requirements.

The city also organized community meetings to help organized the distribution of the funds. It hopes to release information on the next meeting in the near future.