Staff Reports
INDIANAPOLIS — The state is setting aside $25 million in federal funding to help Hoosiers who are struggling to pay rent due to the impact of COVID-19.
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced on Wednesday, June 24, the creation of the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, which will use funding from the federal CARES Act to directly pay landlords whose tenants have fallen behind in their rent payments.
“This has been a very challenging time for Hoosiers, and the economic impacts of COVID-19 has left some renters in a tough spot,” Holcomb said in a news release. “The Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will support our renters, improve our state’s housing stability and help prevent evictions as the state gets back on track.”
The program will provide up to $500 in assistance for four months, totaling a maximum of $2,000 in assistance to eligible renters to help cover past and ongoing rent payments or late fees. Rental assistance through this program is available to residents in all Indiana counties except Marion, where a local $15 million CARES Act-funded program will provide aid to Marion County renters.
To be eligible, renters must meet the following criteria:
Lost their job or part of their income due to COVID-19
Current household income, including unemployment, is less than the household income on March 6
Have not received rental assistance from another source
Approximately 12,000 Indiana households could be helped, the state said in the news release. Landlords must agree to participate.
Applications will be accepted online beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 13 at www.indianahousingnow.org.
In the meantime, if they have not done so already, renters should speak with their property manager if they are unable to make their payments, the governor’s office says. Additional resources can be found in the state’s Coronavirus Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Guide, which may be found at www.in.gov/ihcda/4464.htm.
