ARKANSAS, USA — Renters in Arkansas struggling to make payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for assistance.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services will distribute $173 million in assistance through the Arkansas Rental Relief Program. The funds coming from the $25 billion the U.S. Department of the Treasury allocated for national relief due to the pandemic.
Applications will start to be processed on Monday (May 24), and the program will remain open through the end of 2021.
Payments will cover 15 months of rent and utilities that renters could not pay from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021. The money will go to landlords and utility companies, but a tenant and a landlord each must apply. Landlords must agree that they won't evict a tenant before they can receive the money.
To qualify, a renter must be a resident of Arkansas and a U.S. citizen or legal resident with a current residential lease or rental agreement.
Renters also must meet one of these three criteria to qualify for aid:
- Someone in their home qualifies for unemployment benefits.
- Their household income decreased because of the pandemic.
- Someone in their home has incurred significant financial hardship because of the pandemic.
In addition to meeting one of those three requirements, the renter's income must qualify for assistance.
The money will not cover costs of telephones, cable television, internet access, or mortgage payments.
Other programs to help renters in Arkansas include The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and DHS providing child car assistance for nearly 8,000 families of essential workers without regard to income.
"No one has escaped the touch of the pandemic, and as much as we are able, we want to soften the blow for those who have suffered significant financial hardship. These programs will help thousands of Arkansans regain their footing," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
You can learn more about the Arkansas Rental Relief program here.
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