Behind on rent? New relief for Jackson County tenants could help you avoid eviction.
More federal rent relief money is on its way to Kansas City and Jackson County, Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver’s office announced on Thursday, Dec. 16. Cleaver, who represents Missouri’s 5th District, predicts that the $50 million additional rent relief funds will prevent Kansas Citians from being evicted.
“The funds will help address the backlog of unprocessed rental assistance requests in the vast majority of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri,” he wrote in a Dec. 16 news release.
Here’s what the extra cash means for Kansas City’s renters.
Where is this money coming from?
These federal government funds were part of the COVID-19 relief funds to prevent evictions and reduce the risk of homelessness during the pandemic.
Rent relief money that was given to the state of Missouri went unspent, while Kansas City used its allocation up, so that unspent money is now going to address the backlog of rent relief applications in the metro. Kansas City’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will receive $25 million, while Jackson County will receive another $25 million, for a total of $50 million.
What does this mean for ERAP applicants?
If you didn’t get rent relief through the ERAP program because it ran out of money and there was a backlog of applications, this added money could help you.
If you hadn’t applied for rent relief before, you still can.
What if I applied for rent relief already but didn’t hear back?
If you’ve already applied, do not apply again. Your application may be processed in the coming weeks as more money becomes available.
Applications for rental assistance take 4-6 weeks to process under normal circumstances. Only one application per household can be processed at a time. That means that you and everyone who lives with you should submit one application together if you need assistance.
Who is eligible for ERAP assistance?
Eligibility for the program has not changed. In order to apply, you must be a renter with a household income below 80% of the Area Median Income for your county. For Kansas City residents, that’s $48,550 for a single person or $69,300 for a family of four. Consult this income table to find out if you qualify.
How do you apply for ERAP?
If your household qualifies for ERAP assistance, you can still apply. Complete this online application to be considered for rental assistance. If you want help with the application, you can call up one of the organizations listed here.
You’ll need to provide personal identification, a copy of your lease, proof of income and documentation of your need, like a letter from your landlord or a bill with overdue rent or utilities.
What can ERAP assistance money pay for?
These funds can be used to directly pay off certain expenses related to your housing stability. These include:
Past due rent from after April of 2020
Past due utilities from after April of 2020
Up to three months of future rent
Trash removal
These funds cannot be used for the following:
Past due rent or utilities from before April of 2020
Telephone, cable or internet utility bills
Direct cash assistance to renters— all funds are paid directly to your landlord or utility companies
Is the ERAP program working?
According to Rep. Cleaver’s office, over 3,500 Kansas City households have received rental assistance payments this year. The new funding will provide a total of $50 million more to the metro area and surrounding county.
The number of additional households to receive assistance will depend on how much money each household needs.
What’s the status of my rental assistance application?
United Way is helping to coordinate rental assistance applications in the Kansas City area. If you applied for ERAP assistance more than four weeks ago, you can contact United Way by dialing 211 in Kansas City or by calling 816-474-5112.
Do you have more questions about rent or utility assistance in Kansas City? Our Service Journalism team is here to help. Send your questions to kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
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