[NFBNJ] Rental Assistance in Essex CountyLiving Elsewhere Check With Your County Officials

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
Thanks Ellen for forwarding the info below for Essex County residents 
struggling with rent and mortgage payments.
If you reside in another county, please check with your county officials to 
inquire if your county offers the same or similar  programs.

Joe

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From: Ellen Sullivan
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County is launching an emergency rent assistance 
program to help prevent homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic, 
officials announced Friday.
Officials are setting aside $5.5 million to fund the Essex County 
Coronavirus Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Eligible county residents 
who are facing eviction can get a grant for up to six months of rental 
assistance.

Applications can be made online here. There is a limited time to apply; the 
website will be open from Friday, Oct. 2 to Friday, Oct. 23.

Here's how it works, according to county officials:

"Residents can apply for up to six months of rental assistance. When they 
visit https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/essexcountynj/participant, 
residents will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and will be 
required to demonstrate why they are unable to pay their rent or provide 
proof of an impending eviction. Residents also must provide documentation of 
household income to confirm they meet certain income eligibility guidelines 
established by the federal government. The willing participation of the 
landlord is necessary for the application and the landlord must verify he or 
she will accept payment from Essex County. Residents and landlords also must 
affirm that funding assistance has not been received from other sources that 
would create a duplication of benefits. When an application is approved, the 
payment will be made directly to the landlord."

The county will fund the initiative with grants from the Community 
Development Block Grant and Emergency Solutions Grant programs.

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Brendan Gill, president of the Essex County Board of Commissioners, said the 
program will give struggling families some much-needed financial relief 
during an unprecedented crisis.

"The economic impact of the coronavirus has made it difficult for some 
households to maintain their housing during the pandemic," Essex County 
Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

"Our Emergency Rental Assistance Program will help eligible residents pay up 
to six months of their rent and help them quickly exit homelessness during 
these uncertain times and benefits landlords who will receive rental 
payments so they can pay for property taxes and other expenses," DiVincenzo 
said.

Essex County residents who own their homes and are facing foreclosure may be 
able to get help via a separate county-run program, which offers aid to 
homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage obligations. For more 
information about that program, contact the East Orange Community 
Development Corporation at 973-266-5315 or the Montclair Salvation Army at 
973-744-3312.


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