Omaha City Council approves agreement to disburse millions in rent and utilities assistance

Help is on the way for people in Omaha, Nebraska who are on the verge of being evicted or having their lights turned off because of the pandemic.

HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR THOSE WHO3ARE ON THE VERGE OF BEING3EVICTED OR HAVING THEIR LIGHTS3TURNED OFF BECAUSE OF THIS3PANDEMIC.3THIS AFTERNOON THE CITY3COUNCIL APPROVED AN AGREEMENT3BETWEEN THE CITY AND A LOCAL3NONPROFIT TO BEGIN DISTRIBUTING3OVER 22 MILLION DOLLARS IN RENT3AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE.3 NEWS NOW REPORTER JESSIKA3EIDSON JOINS US LIVE TO TELL US3WHAT THE AGREEMENT ENTAILS AND3WHEN THOSE PAYMENTS ARE EXPECTED3TO BEGIN.3THE CITY IS PARTNERING WITH THE3METRO AREA CONTINUUM OF CARE3FOR THE HOMELESS, ALSO KNOWN AS3MACCH, TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE3DOLLARS TO PAY FOR RENT,3UTILITIES AND BILLS THAT HAVE3THAT 22 MILLION DOLLARS WAS3GRANTED DIRECTLY TO THE CITY3THE CITY HAS WORKED WITH MACCH3FOR PREVIOUS RENTAL ASSISTANCE3PROGRAMS AND IS TRUSTING THEM TO3GET THIS DESPERATELY NEEDED3ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS IN A3TIMELY, EFFECTIVE MANNER.3THE PEOPLE ELIGILBLE FOR THIS3ASSISTANCE ARE THOSE WHOSE3HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN AT OR BELOW380% OF THE AREA MEDIUM, AND3THOSE WHOSE INCOME IS AT OR3BELOW 50% WILL TAKE PRIORITY.3IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, PAYMENTS3WILL BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE3LANDLORD AND UTILITY COMPANIES.3ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL3VOTED TO PASS THIS RESOLUTIONS,3BUT THEY ARE ASKING THAT MACCH3ADD SOME KIND OF WAY TO TRACK3THE TIMES BETWEEN APPLICATION3AND RECEIVING THE FUNDS.3(COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHRIS JERRMA/3DISTRICT 3)3"THERE WAS STILL THE SENSE IN3THE PRIOR PROGRAM THAT THINGS3DIDN’T MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH FOR A3SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND3THEREFORE THERE’S ALREADY THIS3SENSE OF ’IT’S GREAT THAT THIS3IS GONNA BE THERE, BUT WILL IT3MACCH IS AIMING TO HAVE THE3PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING BY LATE3APRIL.

THEY WILL BE GIVEN 73MILLION DOLLARS INITIALLY TO GET3THE PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING.3WE’LL HAVE MORE ON WHAT THIS3AGREEMENT ENTAILS DURING OUR 103O’CLOCK SHOW.

REPORTING IN3OMAHA, JESSIKA