Pinellas County Receives $21.4M To Help Residents Pay Rent

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — There's help available to Pinellas County residents who have experienced financial losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The county has received additional federal funds to help residents stave off evictions from their homes.

Federal grant money is available through the county's Emergency Rental Assistance Program, providing financial assistance for individuals and families who have lost their jobs or have had a significant reduction in income due to the pandemic. Funds will cover missed rent payments as well as future rent costs.

Tenants who are overdue on rent should not wait for an eviction notice to seek help. They may already be eligible for financial assistance. Eligible Pinellas County residents will be able to apply starting March 31 here.

Residents can prepare now by checking their eligibility and preparing any documents needed to apply.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program, a part of the federal stimulus package passed in late December, is providing $25 billion to assist people around the country who are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the pandemic.

Pinellas County received $21.4 million to implement its Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Eligible recipients must meet the following criteria:

• Qualifies for unemployment, experienced a significant reduction in income and/or experienced significant financial hardship due to the coronavirus
• Is behind on rent payments or at risk of missing a rent payment
• Has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income with priority given to households below 50 percent of the AMI

To check household AMI eligibility, renters should click here.

Funds received by eligible applicants must be used to cover past rent payments dating back to March 13, 2020, first before they receive additional rental assistance to cover up to 12 months of future payments. Rent payments will be made directly to the landlords or property managers.

Details about Pinellas County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, including a list of documents required with residents’ applications, can be found here.

To receive text message updates about Pinellas County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, including a notification when applications open, residents can text pinellasrent to 888777.