During their Jan. 26 meeting, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners approved the Leon County Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The Board accepted approximately $8.9 million in federal funding to establish the program intended “to assist low-income households that are unable to pay rent and utilities” due to the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the agenda item, the funding, will be allocated by the U.S. Treasury, must be used for its intended purpose of housing assistance in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed by Congress in December. The funds would also be supplemental to the Coronavirus Relief Funding allocated under the federal CARES Act.
In order to be eligible for rental assistance, each renter household must have at least one person who qualifies for unemployment or has experienced financial struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They must also be at significant risk of homelessness and have a household income at or below 80% of the Area Medium Income (AMI). The program must prioritize applicant households with individuals who have been unemployed for 90 days and with income at or below 50% of AMI.
Households that are approved for assistance may receive 12 months of assistance and are eligible for an additional three months should the situation call for it and funds are available. All funds from the program are intended to be paid directly to landlords and utility providers, unless the landlord wishes not to participate in the program, in which the household would receive the funds directly.
The County Commission approval of the $8.9 million in funding will facilitate housing for approximately 2,000 to 3,000 households in Leon County.
UPDATED: County Commissioners Approve Emergency Rental Assistance Program added by Meagan Martinez on
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I know of one renter that is about $6,000 behind, applied for assistance from the federal relief funding, and so far has heard nothing. You’d think a program with close to $100M at its disposal could send some kind of response even if it’s a rejection.
Still no discussion or questions as to the accounting of the $70-million already received by Leon County for this exact purpose.
$70-million + $10-million = $80-million… $80-million divided by 2500 households equals approximately $32,000 per household. Who needs $15 an-hour when you have the China Bio-Weapon, media manufactured hysteria, and NaziCrats at the helm.
Welcome to a socialist government-dependent state.
How do you say “Mission Accomplished” in Chinese?
You owe it to yourself to Google Welfare Benefits Florida….it’s a Career. And it pays GREAT!!! But don’t believe me, just look at your pay stub. The worst part, they vote.
Well at least it’s a local program and not federal, so there’s less ability to abuse it.
We are going to need to create a new “Office of….”. Perhaps place it in the Mayor’s Office. Staff it with the relatives, Church members, and fellow sorority and fraternity of the usual suspects.
Oh, and use 30% of the $8.9 million for their salaries and benefits.
Once you get the program started and the federal money runs out, then you can tax us all to death again to keep the “Office of….” operating.
Good questions, Tony, $32,000 per household is quite a haul. Add unemployment, the extra unemployment bonus, and WIC, EBT, et al… on top of that, and some folks are living high on the hog. I’d still like a full accounting of the $70-million in COVID tax dollars Leon has already received. Funds, by the way, that were also suppose to go for rent and utilities.
“Households that are approved for assistance may receive 12 months of assistance”
I assume you will make them apply for it monthly. Will this also be for those already getting Rent Assistance? How will you know if they are actually out looking for a Job or just staying home collecting all of the Assistance Checks from the County, State and Feds?
“Households that are approved for assistance may receive 12 months of assistance ”
Will that be one big Check or will you give them a check Monthly?
I wonder if anyone is going to demand all records and a full accounting for the $70+ million in taxpayer dollars Leon County has already received? Do the math people… 80-million divided by 2500 = $3200 per household.
Nice work if you can get it…