Rent Relief.Montgomery County officials launched the second phase of the COVID Rent Relief Program to provide financial assistance to eligible residents. Administered by the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the program will accept applications on a rolling basis while funds remain available.(September 2020)
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RENT RELIEF INFORMATION & FAQ
The COVID-19 Rent Relief Program provides short-term rental assistance to eligible households who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic and caused them to fall behind on their rent. While funds are available, the program will provide up to $4,000 to eligible households to cover the cost for back rent (arrears) and/or a rent credit for future months.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID RENT RELIEF PHASE 2 PROGRAM
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID RENT RELIEF PHASE 2 PROGRAM
- Households must be at or below 60% AMI, based on the last 30 days of income (see table below).
- Households must be paying at least 50% of their income on rent.
- Income loss must be related to COVID-19.
- Households must be at least one month behind on rent payments.
- Must have applied for unemployment benefits (if eligible).
- Must be a Montgomery County resident since at least February 2020.
- Households may have formal or informal lease arrangements.
HOW TO APPLY:
Option 1 – Online Submission: You may submit your request directly to the DHHS website. You will be asked to answer questions and upload certain documents before you submit. You may also email documents to HSS@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Option 2 - 311: To request assistance, please create a 311 Service Request or call 311 (240-777-0311). You will be asked to provide information, including an email address (if available). In the service request summary box please add the number of adults and children, monthly rent, and current household income. Please list contact preference (email or phone) and any additional contact information in the "brief description" field. Callers who already have an open service request will be contacted by program staff to complete an application, and do not need to submit an additional request. Please keep the service request number and await contact from the program.
Option 3 – Outreach Worker: DHHS Outreach Workers will be visiting select sites to assist people in person with their submission. These events will be announced in advance at participating locations.
Option 1 – Online Submission: You may submit your request directly to the DHHS website. You will be asked to answer questions and upload certain documents before you submit. You may also email documents to HSS@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Option 2 - 311: To request assistance, please create a 311 Service Request or call 311 (240-777-0311). You will be asked to provide information, including an email address (if available). In the service request summary box please add the number of adults and children, monthly rent, and current household income. Please list contact preference (email or phone) and any additional contact information in the "brief description" field. Callers who already have an open service request will be contacted by program staff to complete an application, and do not need to submit an additional request. Please keep the service request number and await contact from the program.
Option 3 – Outreach Worker: DHHS Outreach Workers will be visiting select sites to assist people in person with their submission. These events will be announced in advance at participating locations.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The $20-million funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES act expands rental assistance and homelessness prevention to low-income households that have experienced a loss of income due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The funding was introduced by County Executive Marc Elrich and approved by the County Council in July.
More than $1 million in financial assistance was given to eligible households in the initial phase of the program. DHHS has continued to maintain an active waitlist and the process for requesting assistance has been streamlined since the first phase was introduced earlier this year.
Eligible renters must certify that they have income under 60 percent of the average median income, which is $65,529 for a family of three; that they lost income due to COVID-19; that they are rent-burdened and behind on rent; and that they have been a resident of Montgomery County since February 2020. Households may have formal or informal lease arrangements.
Approved households may receive up to $4,000 for rent arrears and/or a rent credit for future months, paid directly to the landlord when a formal lease agreement exists. Eligible households who have an informal rental arrangement will receive rental assistance based on their monthly rental costs up to $4,000. For households with informal rental arrangements that do not have a lease in their name, the grant may be provided directly to the tenant. All assistance is based on the availability of funds.
For more information, including details about program requirements and an online application are on the County’s COVID-19 website. Households can complete the online application or contact 311 for additional assistance. Renters facing an immediate loss of housing should also call 311 to discuss their situation with Montgomery County Housing Stabilization Services.
Households that have already received a COVID Rent Relief Grant, a State Assisted Housing Relief Program grant (through their property), or those who are receiving a housing voucher are not eligible. The COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is separate and different than the Rental Assistance Program operated by Housing Opportunities Commission, but households may apply to both. Applications will be prioritized based on areas of highest COVID-19 impact, with households outside of the initial “high impact” neighborhoods placed on a waitlist and contacted as capacity allows.
For more information please visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS/RightNav/COVID19_RentReliefProgram.html
The $20-million funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES act expands rental assistance and homelessness prevention to low-income households that have experienced a loss of income due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The funding was introduced by County Executive Marc Elrich and approved by the County Council in July.
More than $1 million in financial assistance was given to eligible households in the initial phase of the program. DHHS has continued to maintain an active waitlist and the process for requesting assistance has been streamlined since the first phase was introduced earlier this year.
Eligible renters must certify that they have income under 60 percent of the average median income, which is $65,529 for a family of three; that they lost income due to COVID-19; that they are rent-burdened and behind on rent; and that they have been a resident of Montgomery County since February 2020. Households may have formal or informal lease arrangements.
Approved households may receive up to $4,000 for rent arrears and/or a rent credit for future months, paid directly to the landlord when a formal lease agreement exists. Eligible households who have an informal rental arrangement will receive rental assistance based on their monthly rental costs up to $4,000. For households with informal rental arrangements that do not have a lease in their name, the grant may be provided directly to the tenant. All assistance is based on the availability of funds.
For more information, including details about program requirements and an online application are on the County’s COVID-19 website. Households can complete the online application or contact 311 for additional assistance. Renters facing an immediate loss of housing should also call 311 to discuss their situation with Montgomery County Housing Stabilization Services.
Households that have already received a COVID Rent Relief Grant, a State Assisted Housing Relief Program grant (through their property), or those who are receiving a housing voucher are not eligible. The COVID-19 Rent Relief Program is separate and different than the Rental Assistance Program operated by Housing Opportunities Commission, but households may apply to both. Applications will be prioritized based on areas of highest COVID-19 impact, with households outside of the initial “high impact” neighborhoods placed on a waitlist and contacted as capacity allows.
For more information please visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS/RightNav/COVID19_RentReliefProgram.html
