Volusia County Has $20 Million Available For Rental Assistance

DeLand, FL – Help is on the way for Volusia County residents who have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19. Volusia County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program has over $20 million available to assist households in need. Those who are eligible could receive up to 12 months of assistance for rent or utilities, including past due payments and other assistance related to housing stability. The opening day for applications is next Tuesday, July 20. At that time, county residents may submit an application online at www.volusia.org/era. The web page includes income limits and a list of the required documents. Households that are currently receiving Emergency Rental Assistance do not need to reapply. If you’re in need of assistance filling out the application or don’t have a computer to do so online, Navigators will be available at local libraries:  Dickerson Heritage Public LibraryHope Place Public LibraryDebary Public LibraryEdgewater Public LibraryDeLand Regional LibraryDeltona Regional LibraryOrmond Beach Regional LibraryDaytona Beach Regional LibraryPort Orange Regional LibraryNew Smyrna Beach Regional Library You can also get help with the application at the Emergency Rental Assistance conference room, Bank of America Building, 230 N. Woodland Blvd., Suite 262, DeLand. Landlords may be able to apply on behalf of a tenant. The process is a little different, with landlords asked to send an email to  era@volusia.org with their contact information. A staff member will reach out to help them with additional information. From the webpage volusia.org/era: An eligible household is a renter household in which at least one or more individuals meet and can document these criteria:  Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic; Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and Has a household income at or below 80% of the area median income.  Applications will be prioritized in this order: Applicants who are unemployed for the 90 days prior to the application date and whose income is at or below 50% of the area median income Applicants whose income is at or below 50% of the area median income Applicants who are unemployed for the 90 days prior to the application date and whose income is at or below 80% of the area median income Applicants whose income is at or below 80% of the area median income Households must be re-certified every three months to continue receiving assistance.  The application window will close after 1,500 applications to ensure assistance is available for all accepted applicants. As applications are processed and the amount of committed dollars is calculated, additional applications may be accepted at a later date to ensure funding is fully utilized. The county will provide advance notice if the application window reopens. For more information, call Volusia County’s Community Assistance Division at 386-943-7095