Emergency Rent, Utility Assistance Applications Placed On Hold

Community Cares Partners has temporarily stopped accepting applications for its emergency rental and utility assistance program because of the number of applications they've received recently.

Katie Fry with Community Cares Partners said their team had more than 13,000 rental and utility assistance applications at the beginning of this month.

“We did have a spike after the moratorium, but in general earlier in the year, we were receiving 200 applications per day and now we're receiving three to 400 applications a day,” Fry said.

The federally funded program has helped over 13,000 households and have distributed over $56 million in assistance. They stopped accepting applications at the beginning of September to focus on the thousands of applicants needing their help.

“Our wait time right now is about eight weeks from application submitted to when we're able to start look at the application and processing it,” Fry said. “Our goal is to be able to lower that time and get the money into the hands of the people as fast as possible.”

Fry said there's been huge improvements to the wait time since they stopped accepting applications but said anyone in need can still call 211.

She also encouraged renters to try to make partial payments and to communicate updates with their landlord.

“If you have received a date for court for an eviction, show up to court,” Fry said. “That's the most important thing because we are still processing people who are still on the eviction docket throughout the state so, please, go to your court date.”

They will start accepting applications again on Oct. 15. Folks will be able to apply online or at application stations set up throughout the state.