These may be the “good” times.
While many El Paso County residents who don’t have enough money to pay their rent are receiving aid from local agencies at this stage in the pandemic, a pressing concern is that the real need is just beginning.
The infusion of funding from federal and state emergency relief programs to help people stay in their homes will end at some point, as will eviction protection, which is scheduled to expire Dec. 31.
But a few local human service agencies intend to stick with their newly expanded rental-assistance programs.
“I think we’re in for a long haul,” said Kristy Milligan, executive director of Westside CARES, a charitable collaboration of 22 churches. “This is going to continue to be a need.”
With job loss and other economic strains occurring since the pandemic was identified nine months ago, people who were doing OK making their rent before COVID-19 have been forced to borrow money from family, run up credit card balances and turn to programs like Westside CARES.
The demand now is not only far greater than pre-pandemic but also more than just a few months ago, Milligan said.
The agency fielded a 200% increase in rental assistance appeals in November over last year, with 40 calls and a handful of emails per day, she said.
In November of 2019, the organization provided about $4,000 in rental assistance; in November of 2020, nearly $20,000 in rental aid went out the door.
What had been a small part of Westside CARES’ services is now a major program, Milligan said, with funding coming from private donors.
The same thing has happened at Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, headquartered in Colorado Springs.
Catholic Charities, which runs the Marian House Kitchen and other programs for people who are homeless, has distributed $550,000 in rental assistance to 600 area families, individuals and immigrants since late April, said Lorri Orwig, senior vice president of operations. Another $100,000 will be given out this month.
That’s a magnanimous leap from providing about $36,000 a year in rental assistance, pre-COVID, when the limited funds were usually gone by the fifth of each month, Orwig said.
The program growth came largely as a result of the organization accepting federal funding, for the first time.
With coronavirus relief money from the Congressional CARES Act and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as contributions from foundations and other donors, rental assistance has ballooned into a large-scale service for Catholic Charities, Orwig said.
Officials intend to continue the new trajectory.
“We’ve discovered we’re really good at this kind of work,” Orwig said.
Catholic Charities now is one of the most frequently referred rental assistance providers, out of 15 in the area, according to Eric Barnett, director of Pikes Peak United Way’s 2-1-1 referral hotline.
About 30% of calls to the confidential, multilingual referral service are for help with rent or housing, he said, which amounts to 500 to 800 inquiries a month.
"Many 2-1-1 callers have never been in a situation where they have needed to ask for assistance," Barnett said. "They have experienced loss of income due to COVID restrictions or actually lost their employment and have concerns about how they will continue to support themselves and families."
Just over half of the people who receive rent aid said they would not have needed the services if not for COVID-19, a recent Catholic Charities survey showed.
“The more rent assistance we can get people, the more we’ll be able to stem the flow we know that’s going to be coming at us, as people will be faced with eviction notices and excessive rent in arrears,” Orwig said.
Old rules haven’t applied during the pandemic. Previously, Catholic Charities gave $250 in a one-time payment to people who qualified for rent assistance. Now, awards of up to $1,000 are common, and for more than one request, Orwig said.
Westside CARES used to hand out up to $500 in rental assistance in one-time awards. With rents in Colorado Springs averaging $1,100 for a one-bedroom apartment, Milligan said awards are higher.
“Just this month we paid an entire month’s rent of $1,300 for a single mother with two children to prevent her from having to go to multiple agencies to try to stay in her home,” Milligan said.
“We’re of the philosophy that if someone is willing to overcome the shame of having to ask for help, they really need the help.”
Applicants must provide paperwork that proves they owe a certain amount to their landlord, to ensure the money is being spent as intended.
Landlords like Fletcher Howard, who owns rental properties in Colorado Springs, said without rental assistance for tenants, it would be hard for landlords to stay current on their mortgage bills.
“In light of everything that’s gone on this year, this is one less stressor the tenants have,” he said. “Without rental assistance, and with the moratorium on being able to evict tenants, you’re not adding to the problem of homelessness in our community.”
"assistance" - Google News
December 03, 2020 at 05:23AM
https://ift.tt/2VxEaHa
Colorado Springs agencies intend to continue expanded rental assistance programs - Colorado Springs Gazette
"assistance" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Ne4zX9
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Colorado Springs agencies intend to continue expanded rental assistance programs - Colorado Springs Gazette"
Post a Comment