We all want a place to call home, but during a global pandemic, having a home can mean the difference between life and death.
For many families, their homes are in jeopardy. COVID-19 has left working families without jobs, with reduced hours, increased caregiving responsibilities, and struggling with the financial strain of the pandemic. As federal protections for tenants end, and expanded unemployment assistance lapses, the lack of a strong and coordinated federal response to address this crisis has left people across the country vulnerable to eviction.
That is why in your community, Harris County and the City of Houston are stepping in to help prevent evictions from hurting our families during this crisis.
Although we have limited resources to face the current housing crisis, we are working to get aid to those who need it most, through a $25 Million Emergency Rental Assistance Fund, which will provide payments for back rent (beginning April 1, 2020) directly to landlords on behalf of eligible households.
FIRST STAGE: LANDLORDS APPLY
Between Monday, August 17th through Wednesday, August 26th Tenants may participate only in the SECOND STAGE if their landlord has agreed and applied to participate. Visit http://www.harriscountyrenthelp.org/ for more information and to apply.
Want to encourage your landlord to apply? Here's a
flyer you can give them.
SECOND STAGE: TENANTS APPLY
Between Monday, August 24th and Sunday, August 30th
During this stage, tenants may apply if their landlord enrolled in the FIRST STAGE.
Additionally tenants must meet the following criteria:
- Property address must be within Harris County
- For Precincts 1 and 2, property can be in any part of Harris County, including the City of Houston
- For Precincts 3 and 4, property can only be in Harris County outside the City of Houston
- Total current household income is below 50% of Average Median Income
- Unable to pay rent due to economic or health-related impact of COVID-19
- No one in the household has received other county-related COVID-19 assistance
- Tenant is not currently receiving other governmental housing subsidies (local, state, or federal)
During the application window, grant applications can be submitted online 24/7 at
www.harriscountyrenthelp.org. This website will also let you know what documents and information you will need to apply.
After the application process closes on Friday, August 28th, eligible applicants will be entered into a lottery for randomized selection starting September 1st. Through the $25M fund, we expect to provide rental assistance to an estimated 20,000 county households. We know that this will barely make a dent in the serious issue of housing instability hitting our community, and that we will need additional solutions to ensure that families are not left without shelter.
Precinct One will continue to work with our local, state, and national partners to help as many families as we can, and pull our community through these difficult times.
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