Rhode Island is putting an additional $200 million in federal funding towards helping tenants who’ve lost income during the coronavirus pandemic.
Renters can apply for up to 12 months of aid through the “Rent Relief RI” program, and there is no monthly limit on rent payments.
Christine Hunsinger, assistant deputy director for policy and research at RIHousing, which is distributing the aid, said that this one-year window is aimed at helping tenants clear a backlog of missed payments.
“Once they are able to go back to work and cover their current living expenses, it’s really hard for them to get back on top of paying their current expenses and the past-due [rent],” said Hunsinger.
“It can be almost impossible for some families to clear that debt,” she added.
As of Monday morning, about 450 people had applied since the program opened last week.
Last year, a patchwork of rent relief programs in the state struggled to distribute aid quickly to tenants in need. Hunsinger said the organization is working as fast as it can to verify income and employment in order to get the money out to Rhode Islanders.
“It’s going to take a bit of time for people to get paid out and assisted,” Hunsinger said. “We have been running at top speed to get this system set up so that we are able to efficiently and effectively help Rhode Island renters and landlords.”
She said the first payments will start going out in two to three weeks.
Rhode Islanders can apply on the RIHousing website. Eligibility is based on household income, financial hardship due to COVID-19, and risk of becoming homeless.
Last week, a federal moratorium on evictions was extended through the end of June.
