Montgomery County To Offer Housing Help For Some Renters

Montgomery County renters financially affected by the new coronavirus could be eligible for rent relief thanks to a new partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance agency.

Applications for rental relief open on Monday.

To qualify, an applicant must have lost more than 30 percent of their income as the result of reduced hours or wages. Residents also qualify if they became unemployed after March 1 due to the pandemic.

Further, renters who have applied for unemployment in Pennsylvania must have done so after March 1 in order to qualify.

The final qualification is based on income before March 1. To qualify, a resident's income must fall below the area's median income based on the following household sizes:

• 1 family member — $67,700
• 2 family members — $77,300
• 3 family members — $87,000
• 4 family members — $96,600
• 5 family members — $104,400
• 6 family members — $112,100
• 7 family members — $119,800
• 8 family members — $127,600

Residents are only permitted to use relief funding to cover rent incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020.

“More than 13,000 of our renters experience extreme cost burden with rent representing more than 50% of their income at any given time,” said Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Chair, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “We hope to help as many people as possible to stay safe and healthy in their homes during the pandemic by providing much needed economic
relief.”

Visit the Montgomery County website for more information about the program, or to apply for relief.

Renters can also speak to a Montgomery County Office of Community Connections Navicate by calling 610-278-3929.

Residents can also apply for relief through the Pennsylvania Housing Financing Agency .