The City and County of Honolulu’s Rental and Utility Relief Program application portal closed after just over two hours of opening on Tuesday, according to officials.

The program, which offers up to six months of rent and utility help for eligible renters, reopened at 2 p.m. Tuesday to accept 2,000 more applications.

The city said due to “extraordinary demand,” the city’s application portal received 2,000 new applications in just over two hours, to be funded by $25 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds approved by Honolulu City Council.

Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds are available, officials said.

Since its launch, the city said the program — a resource for Oahu residents and families who suffered severe financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic — has distributed approximately $216 million in federal funds to more than 16,000 families.

The city, Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement are also organizing in-person application events, with the first one scheduled for June 19 at Nanakuli Public Library. All appointment slots for that event have already been filled.

Officials said renters who have received an eviction notice may contact the Mediation Center of the Pacific at 808-521-6767 on weekdays for assistance.

Future events will be listed at revitalizeoahu.org/renthelp.