RI Surpasses $100M In Rental Assistance Program
PROVIDENCE, RI — More than $100 million in rental assistance has been distributed to RHode Islanders in need through the RentReliefRI program, helping nearly 14,000 residents behind on their bills.
The state reached the milestone last week, Gov. Dan McKee announced along with RIHousing. The funding draws on federal coronavirus relief funding, providing up to 18 months of financial assistance to renters experiencing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Reaching this important milestone has been no small feat," McKee said. "When I took office, our Administration made it a priority to accelerate the distribution of rent and utility relief funds to Rhode Islanders who needed it most. Together, we are committed to continuing our efforts to get these critically-needed funds into the hands of more Rhode Island renters with help of a strong team of community partners who have stepped up in a big way to make it happen."
The program was launched last March. Eligible expenses include rent arrears, future rent payments, delinquent utility payments and certain other housing expenses. Following changes made at the end of the year, the amount of approved applications rose dramatically, McKee's office said. The governor also directed RIHousing to make a bulk payment of $16 million to National Grid, automatically covering past-due utility bills for Rhode Island residents.
"I worked hard to make these federal rent relief funds available to help Rhode Islanders facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic," U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said. "I commend RIHousing for accelerating efforts to get these funds out the door to prevent evictions and keep people stably housed.
To qualify for the program, renters must be at or below 80 percent of the area median income, or about $69,200 per year for a family of four in most parts of the state. There is no cap to the monthly assistance amount, and residents can apply for utility assistance even if they do not need help with rent.
"There are no quick fixes to the challenges we face," House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said. "I am excited to see the state reach this important milestone in the distribution of RentReliefRI program funds, but it remains critical that we continue in our efforts to ensure that Rhode Islanders still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have the support and resources they need."
The $100 million in assistance breaks down to $75 million in rent payments, $22 million in past-due utility bills and about $3 million in security deposits and other eligible costs. On average, households receive about $6,720 in assistance.
This article originally appeared on the Cranston Patch
