With the federal moratorium on evictions across the country now over, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) is encouraging residents in need to apply for COVID-19 relief dollars.
According to a news release from KHRC, the organization has allocated more than $21 million in emergency rental and utility assistance to Kansas residents thanks to the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program. Previously, funding was available through KERA for all Kansans, except for Wichita residents who were previously served by the city’s rental assistance program.
That is not the case now as Wichita residents may apply for KERA funding as KHRC says it recognizes “the importance of serving tenants and landlords in our state’s most populous city.” KERA applicants can receive up to a maximum of 12 months of rental and utility assistance as well as additional funds for “reasonable fees and security deposits.”
In order to qualify for KERA funding, tenants must rent their homes and have experienced “documented financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.” This includes qualifying for unemployment benefits, experiencing a reduction of household income and incurring any significant costs due to the pandemic.
Also to qualify, a tenant’s household income must not exceed 80 percent of the area median income.
For more information on the KERA program, visit kshousingcorp.org.
