Brian Walker, Communications Manager, 509.655.1387
Friday, January 21, 2022 at 2:37 p.m.
After just eight months since the City’s Emergency Rent Assistance Program started to help landlords and tenants stave off evictions due to hardships caused by the pandemic, nearly all of the $27 million funding has been distributed and allocated.
“We have distributed and allocated our funds received from the U.S. Treasury and State Commerce departments faster than many jurisdictions,” said Jenn Cerecedes, Director of the City’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department.
“At the same time, this rapid deployment of funds and processing of applications underscores the need for assistance in our community. The City will continue to search for future funding for the program.”
More than 2,000 households in the City have benefitted from the program that started June 1, 2021. Households must have experienced a pandemic-related financial hardship, have housing instability or risk of it, be at or below 80 percent of the area median income and reside within the City boundaries to qualify.
As a result of 95 percent of the program funding distributed and allocated, the online application portals administered by LiveStories and Family Promise of Spokane were paused today, Friday, Jan. 21. Those organizations were contracted by the City to process applications. Applicants were notified on Jan. 5 that funding was quickly becoming exhausted and that there may not be sufficient funds to fulfill requests after that date.
Meanwhile, The Carl Maxey Center, which prioritizes assistance to African American and BIPOC households, was recently awarded additional funds that will be available to apply for starting today.
SNAP processes emergency rent assistance applications for Spokane County residents.
