Rental housing industry leaders band together to help #GetTheRentPaid

Groups across the Kansas City area work together to provide rental housing assistance.

THIS PANDEMIC HAS PUT AFINANCIAL STRAIN ONFAMILIES ACROSS THEMETRO.SOME FINDING ITCHALLENGING TO KEEP AROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.BUT THERE IS HELP.TODAY LEADERSDISCUSSED WHATASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLEFOR RENTERS.AS 41 ACTION NEWSANCHOR GABRIELLAPAGAN EXPLAINS HOWTHOSE IN NEED CAN GETIT.Stacey Johnson-Cosby/KC RegionalHousing Alliance"That money is available forrental assistance and utilityassistance across 12 monthsso it's a big deal, there's helpfor everyone out there."AND IT ISN'T JUST THETENANT WHO CAN TAKEACTION TO GET THISASSISTANCE, THELANDLORD CAN TOO.Yogi Gupta/Overland Park Realtor"we want to form a bridgebetween the landlords and thetenant community."APPROVED TENANTS WILLBE ELIGIBLE FOR AMAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHSOF ASSISTANCE - PAIDDIRECTLY TO THELANDLORD OR UTILITYCOMPANIESJohnson-Cosby" our goal is to keep theinformation rolling and peopleneed help paying their rentand utilities, no need tostress,help is on the way."INDUSTRY LEADERS SAY IFYOU'RE ANYWHERE INEITHER MISSOURI ORKANSAS - PEOPLE ARETHERE TO HELP YOUNAVIGATE.Jim MacDonald/United Way ofGreater Kansas City" there are caseworkers atcommunity nonprofits who areavailable to walk alongsideapplicants who need the extrahelp."SO - WHERE DO YOU GOTO APPLY IF YOU'RE ATENANT?

THAT DEPENDSON WHERE YOU LIVE.JOHNSON COUNTY KANSASIS WORKING WITH KANSASHOUSING RESOURCESCORPORATION TO RUNTHEIR EMERGENCYRENTAL ASSISTANCEPROGRAM AND ON THEMISSOURI SIDE - KansasCity IS RUNNING IT'S OWN,JACKSON COUNTY ISRUNNING IT'S THROUGH APARTNERSHIP BETWEENTHE UNITED WAY ANDCOMMUNITY SERVICESLEAGUE AND CLAYCOUNTY IS RUNNING ITSPROGRAM THROUGH THEUNITED WAY.MacDonald"so really in the Kansas Cityregion were talking about fivedistinct programs, each ofwhich has its own place to gofor residents to apply."EXPERTS SAY THERE ISA PROGRAM FOREVERYONE AS LONG ASYOU MEET THE ELIGIBILITYCRITERIA.YOU MUST BE A RENTER INA HOUSEHOLD WHERE ATLEAST ONE PERSONQUALIFIES FORUNEMPLOYMENT, HASEXPERIENCED AREDUCTION INHOUSEHOLD INCOME OREXPERIENCED A FINANCIALHARDSHIP DUE TO COVID-19 DEMONSTRATES A RISKOF EXPERIENCINGHOMELESSNESS OR HAS AINCOME AT OR BELOW 80%OF THE AREA MEDIAN.MacDonald"For landlords and tenants it'simportant to be patient inawaiting payments to bemade, I think the turnaroundtime in the various programsthat have been set up canrange between a couple ofweeks to a couple of months."AND IF YOU'RE A TENANTAPPLYING FORASSISTANCE - THEY SAYMAKE SURE YOU UPDATEYOUR HOUSING PROVIDERON THE STATUS OF YOURAPPLICATION, AS LONG ASTHEY KNOW WHAT'SGOING ON THEY'RE MORELIKELY TO WORK WITH YOUKNOWING THAT MONEY ISCOMING.Jenni Miller, Mgr of HUDPrograms" that is a condition of theprogram if a landlord isreceiving forward assistanceor assistance to keep them inthat unit they cannot goforward with that eviction."IN Kansas City, GABRIELLPAGAN, 41 ACTION NEWS.APPLICATIONS CAN BEINITIATED BY TENANT ORTHE HOUSING PROVIDER-THEN BOTH HA