INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced last Wednesday the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, which will use $25 million in federal CARES Act funding to help Hoosiers struggling to pay rent due to the impact of COVID-19.
“This has been a very challenging time for Hoosiers, and the economic impacts of COVID-19 has left some renters in a tough spot,” Gov. Holcomb said. “The Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will support our renters, improve our state’s housing stability and help prevent evictions as the state gets back on track.”
The program will provide up to $500 in assistance for four months, totaling a maximum of $2,000 in assistance to eligible renters to help cover past and ongoing rent payments or late fees. Rental assistance through this program is available to residents in all Indiana counties except Marion, where a local $15 million CARES Act-funded program will provide aid to Marion County renters.
To be eligible, renters must meet the following criteria:
• Lost their job or part of their income due to COVID-19
• Current household income, including unemployment, is less than the household income on March 6
• Have not received rental assistance from another source
Approximately 12,000 Indiana households could be helped. Payments will be made directly to the landlord, and the landlord must agree to participate.
Applications will be accepted online beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 13 at www.indianahousingnow.org.
In the meantime, if they have not done so already, renters should speak with their property manager if they are unable to make their payments. Additional resources can be found in the state’s Coronavirus Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Guide.
More information may be found at the ISDH website at coronavirus.in.gov and the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
