Housing Leadership Council

COVID – 19 Relief Bill – A Review of the Housing Provisions

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The Covid-19 relief bill was just posted and includes the following provisions that will impact housing:

Emergency Rental Assistance – There is $25B for rental costs including back rent, forward rent (limited to 3 months at a time), utility and other qualifying housing expenses.  This will be targeted to 80% Area Median Income and below (~$70,000 for a household of 4 in PBC) with a focus on those making less than 50% AMI (~$44,000 for a household of 4 in PBC).  Landlords can apply on the renter’s behalf with permission of the tenant. Florida will get $1,429,695,000 in funds but we have not received specific County/City allocations.

CDC Moratorium – The moratorium is extended to January 31, 2021.

Extension of CRF Funds – The current CRF funding deadline is extended to December 31, 2021. Without this extension, all unexpended funding would have been returned to the Treasury as of December 30,2020.

4% Tax Credit – The bill establishes a permanent floor for the 4% credit so those using the credit will have more secure, predictable financing.

Download NLIHC fact sheet.

Palm Beach County launches coronavirus rental assistance program

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(Image by mastersenaiper from Pixabay)

Renters who have taken a financial hit because of the novel coronavirus have a new source of help.

Palm Beach County’s Community Services Department on June 5 launched the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Coronavirus Relief Fund Rent and Utilities Assistance Program.

The fund offers one-time rental and/or utility help for eligible Palm Beach County residents who live in apartments, houses, townhouses or mobile homes.

To be eligible, you must:

  • Be a Palm Beach County resident.
  • Provide documentation to prove loss of income, reduction of hours or unemployment because of COVID-19.
  • Provide documentation to show you have applied for or are receiving state or federal unemployment benefits.
  • Meet gross Area Median Income (AMI) limit not exceeding 140 percent AMI for your household.
  • Have a lease or other utilities in your name or a household member’s name.
  • Not have received any other financial assistance for rent and/or utilities during the period for which payment is requested.Have less than $5,000 in liquid assets in checking, savings and cash card balances.

Benefits could be up to $7,000 ($5,800/up to 3 months rent and $1200/electric, water and gas combined).

Applicants may receive assistance once, but can apply for multiple services. All assistance must be applied for at the same time. Other restrictions may apply.

Assistance will be provided only for past-due rent or utilities. The due dates must be after March 1, 2020, and before Dec. 30, 2020.

Applications must be submitted through the CSD’s online portal. To apply, visit www.pbcgov.com/OSCARSS.

To learn more, visit www.pbcgov.com/communityservices. For additional frequently asked questions, visit www.pbcgov.com/csdcaresactfaq.

Gov. DeSantis extends moratorium on evictions and foreclosures to July 1

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From The Palm Beach Post:

“Just four hours before a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures was set to expire early Tuesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the freeze late Monday, sparing countless unemployed workers from homelessness as the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic continues.

“‘He just felt it was in the best interest of all to extend it,’ said Helen Aguirre Ferré, the governor’s spokeswoman. The order was scheduled to expire at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.”

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U.S. Rental Housing Crisis Projected to Grow with Households Paying More than 50 Percent of Income on Rent Topping 13 Million by 2025

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Source: Global Newswire

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 21, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The number of households spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent is expected to rise at least 11 percent from 11.8 million to 13.1 million by 2025, according to new research by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) and Enterprise Community Partners Inc. (Enterprise).

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