If you’ve struggled to pay rent in St. Joseph County during the COVID-19 pandemic, help is available through the county’s emergency rental assistance program.
County Commissioner Andy Kostielney said the program has been “open and active for a couple of months,” but the county is now able to take on more applications through its online portal.
He said the county has already paid over $1 million in assistance since the program opened.
“We want to keep people in their homes, in their apartment, in where they’re living so we can remove that burden from them as they move forward,” Kostielney said.
In order to qualify, applicants must be a resident of St. Joseph County with a household income less than 80 percent of county median. The applicant's name has to appear on the rental lease, and they have to demonstrate housing instability or risk of homelessness. Other requirements include:
- A member of the applicant's household has received unemployment benefits since April 1, 2020
- The applicant's household has experienced a reduction in household income due to an involuntary job layoff, reduced work hours, or reduced pay
- The applicant's household incurred significant costs or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19
The money can be used to cover both past-due rent and future payments. Each household is eligible for 12 months of assistance, with the possibility of a three-month extension.
You can apply online through the county's portal, or contact one of the county's partner agencies – including REAL Services, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Charities, United Religious Communities and the Indiana Parenting institute – for assistance.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
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