12 rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs available to Columbus-area residents
Columbus-area residents looking for help paying their bills have options at their disposal.
Not all of these programs are new, but recent boosts from the federal government in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic have extended their ability to help residents in need.
The following are rental, mortgage and utility assistance programs designed to help residents catch up or pay their bills for qualified applicants. All of the programs have their own income requirements, most of which are based on a percentage of the federal poverty guidelines or the area median income.
These programs were receiving applications at the time of publishing unless otherwise noted. However, an application is never a guarantee of assistance.
Applications may require documents not listed, including documents to verify identity, lease agreements and, in the case of rental assistance, forms that would need to be completed by a landlord. Please visit each program's website or call the numbers provided for additional information and a full list of requirements.
Rentful—an initiative by the City of Columbus, Franklin County Board of Commissioners and the United Way of Central Ohio—does not recommend applying for multiple rental assistance programs at a time, as it may delay the application progress. The initiative provides helpful insight into the entire process and is available at rentful614.com.
Rental and mortgage assistance: Impact Community Action
Impact Community Action is a nonprofit organization that offers rental assistance to households in Columbus and Franklin County through funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, households must have:
One or more residents that have qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a decrease in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship directly or indirectly due to the COVID-19 pandemic
An income at or below 80% of the area median income ($63,500 for a two-person household, $71,450 for a three-person household)
Landlords will need to provide a past-due rent notice or an eviction notice
The program provides assistance for past due rental and mortgage payments or the first month's rent. Assistance could include up to three months of rent, but in some cases, it may be able to provide assistance for a longer period of time. In addition to rental assistance, Impact also offers other supportive services, such as life coaching, financial counseling and job training.
Appointments are required and can only be made on set days. Appointments can be made every other Friday at 8 a.m. for the following two weeks. Applicants must provide proof of income among other documents. For more information, visit impactca.org or call 614-964-2906.
Rental assistance: Nearly $34 million in federal rental assistance windfall to flow from Franklin County
Rental, mortgage and utility assistance: Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services
The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services' Prevention, Retention, and Contingency program provides emergency financial assistance to households in Franklin County who are struggling to pay their rent and utilities. To be eligible, households must:
Have at least one minor child or a pregnant person in the household
Have a gross household income at or below 165% of the federal poverty level
Households can use the money for combined needs, such as overdue rent and utility bills. Money can also be used for auto repairs and maintenance for work transportation, some driver's license reinstatement fees or up to four months of bus passes for transportation to work, school or job training.
The one-time financial assistance that a household can receive varies depending on their income and need, but can provide up to $1,500. For more information, visit jfs.franklincountyohio.gov/emergency-assistance-(prc) or call 844-640-6446.
Utility assistance: Ohio Department of Development
The Ohio Department of Development offers several programs to assist Ohioans with their utility bills, including energy and electric bills:
Summer Crisis Program (runs from July through September)
Winter Crisis Program (runs from November through March)
Ohio Household Water Assistance Program (runs through Sept. 30, 2023)
The programs have different eligibility requirements, but all require a household income at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines. Some programs, including the Home Energy Assistance Program, are one-time benefits. Find more eligibility requirements and additional information on the Ohio Department of Development website, development.ohio.gov.
Ohioans can apply for energy assistance programs at development.ohio.gov/individual/energy-assistance. Some applications require an appointment with an energy assistance provider, which for Franklin County residents is Impact Community Action and The Breathing Association. Applications are also available through energy assistance providers, local libraries and Franklin County Job and Family Services.
Electric bill assistance: AEP Ohio
The AEP Ohio Neighbor to Neighbor program provides financial assistance to households who are struggling to pay their AEP electric bills. Grants are provided to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis while funding is available. To be eligible, households must:
Make less than 300% of the federal poverty level guidelines
Have an outstanding balance of at least $50
Be at least 30 days behind on their bill
Paid at least $75 on their AEP Ohio account in the three months prior to applying
Have their service disconnected or in threat of termination
The amount of assistance that a household can receive varies depending on their income and need, but typically provides up to $500. Applicants needing more than $500 in assistance will be denied. For more information, visit aepohio.com/community/caring/neighbor-to-neighbor or call 1-800-672-2231.
Rental and utility assistance: COMPASS
COMPASS, or Congregational Outreach Ministries Program of Assistance & Social Service, is a program by Broad Street Presbyterian Church that has provided financial assistance and other resources to individuals and families who have been experiencing an emergency housing crisis for 40 years. The program is designed to help prevent homelessness and get people back on their feet.
To be eligible for COMPASS, you must:
Be employed now or have been employed between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021
Have a late notice or disconnection notice (cannot be scheduled for within the next two business days)
Have a documented reason for lack of payment
The program does not provide assistance for utility bills in default, reconnection fees or rental deposits. The amount of assistance that a household can receive is limited to $1,000 for rental assistance and $300 for utility assistance.
For more information, visit bspc.org/compass or call 614-429-5979.
Mortgage and utility assistance: Ohio Housing Finance Agency
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency's Save the Dream Ohio mortgage assistance program provides financial assistance to Ohio homeowners who are struggling to make their mortgage payments. The program can help homeowners with up to $25,000, which can be used to make up missed payments or cover up to six months of mortgage payments.
The program is expected to continue through September 30, 2025, or until funds are depleted.
Likewise, the Save the Dream Ohio utility assistance plus program provides assistance to Ohio homeowners who are struggling to pay their utility bills. The program can provide up to $10,000 in combined assistance, which can be used to pay both utility bills and housing costs not including mortgage payments. Residents should apply for this program through local community action agencies, which for Franklin County is Impact Community Action.
To be eligible for either program, homeowners must:
Have a primary residence in Ohio
Have experienced financial hardship or loss of income related to the COVID-19 pandemic
Have an income at or below the income eligibility threshold (starting at $103,350 for single-person households)
Complete a pre-qualification survey
For more information, visit savethedream.ohiohome.org or call 888-404-4674.
Gas bill assistance: Salvation Army
In partnership with Columbia Gas, the Salvation Army administers the Heat Share program, which can provide up to $250 to prevent Columbia Gas shut-off or to reconnect service. Households must have an income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. For more information on eligibility, you must contact the caseworker for your area. Visit easternusa.salvationarmy.org for more information.
Additional resources
Here are additional programs that may be relevant to some Columbus residents:
Franklin County Veterans Service Commission: provides active duty and veterans, and active duty and veteran families, with emergency financial assistance. Can include rent, mortgage, utilities, food and more. Call 614-525-2500 for more information.
Faith Mission's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program: helps veteran families maintain stable housing. Call 614-224-6617 for more information.
Home for Families' Homeless Prevention for Expectant Mothers program: among other homeless prevention programs, provides housing and supportive services to pregnant women. Call the Homeless Hotline at 614-274-7000 for more information.
Columbus State's Success Bridge Housing Stabilization program: provides support to Columbus State students experiencing housing instability. Call the Student Advocacy Center at 614-287-5258 for more information.
Huckleberry House: provides youth ages 17-24 with housing assistance and other programming. The program currently has a waiting list. Call 614-294-8097 for more information.
tmoorman@dispatch.com
@taijuannichole
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Programs are available to Columbus residents who need help paying rent
