2nd round of eviction prevention assistance makes $22.9M available for Louisville renters Share Updated: 3:11 PM EST Feb 12, 2021 WLKY Digital Team Share Updated: 3:11 PM EST Feb 12, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript well, think about it. It's kind of hard to believe, but we're beginning the 12th month of living with the pandemic. But it's encouraging, right? We got the vaccines coming along. We're making a lot of progress. Probably vaccinated 13 14% of the community now, with ah lot more coming along. So the end is in sight now. At the same time, we have people throughout our city who have urgent and immediate needs that they got to deal with today in many cases, had to deal with yesterday. That's because in the last months let last 11 months, we've seen businesses closing their doors, some temporarily, some permanently and many others severely cutting back their staff. That's left tens of thousands of Louisville Ian's unemployed or underemployed, and far too many are struggling to make ends meet and many for the first time they've been in this situation. And so that's why your city government has taken several steps to help, including creating a new grant and loan programs to support our small businesses, impacted by Cove in 19, working with the individual business and community partners to establish one Louisville Kobe 19 resource fund which raised and distributed close to $11 million to households and two other nonprofits doing essential community work. In January, we launched a $10 million metro utility assistance program, which is helping qualified customers with outstanding balances on their El Genie and Louisville Water and MSD bills. And thanks to more than $21 million made available through the Federal Cares Act last year, as of January 31st, Metro government has distributed $20.7 million helping more than 17,300 Louisville Ian Stay in their homes. That's good news. At the same time, we know many more of our neighbors are still struggling to pay rent due to the Kobe 19 pandemic, and some of those who have already received assistance continue to struggle. So today I'm really happy to announce that Metro government is reopening applications for eviction prevention assistance to renters. And this isn't thanks to a new $22.9 million federal allocation that's right close to $23 million new money to help people pay their rent. That's good. This funding is gonna help people who are facing financial hardship because of Cove in 19. It will mean thousands of Louisville IANs who are behind on their rent. You can stay in their homes during the coldest months of the year. While we continue to battle Cove in 19, eligible households may receive up to 12 months of assistance, with an option for an additional three months if needed to ensure housing stability. Receiving prior assistance does not does not preclude renters from being eligible and according to federal regulations, to qualify for the assistance. Here are the criteria At least one member of the household must be eligible for unemployment benefits or a test in writing that they've lost income or incurred significant expenses due to the pandemic. Applicants must demonstrate that their household is at risk of homelessness homelessness due to financial instability and have a household income at or below 80% of the area median. And that's $62,000 for a family of four. Income eligibility will deeply determined, based on 2020 income or the household's monthly income For the last 60 days at the time of application, our team at the Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services have been hitting it hard every day. They're dedicated to this work. They will be working with the Office of Housing to administer this assistance in collaboration with some of our great community partners, the Legal Aid Society in the area, Community Ministries In 2020 these partners launched a once one stop website for eviction prevention. Resource is called Stop my eviction dot org's and so now to provide more detail. First, I wanna welcome to Mekka Laird, director of the Office of Resilience and Community Services. Tameka is going to share information about applying for the eviction Prevention Cove in 19 relief fund. So, Tameka, thanks for all your good work and the good work of your team. So tell us a little bit more about these new resource is available to us. Thank you, Mayor. I'm proud to be a part of this event and proud to serve alongside our dedicated natural teeth and our partners through today, it is vital that we work together to help individuals and families through these challenging times. We know that the need is continues to be great. That is why that is why we are grateful that this new round of federal eviction prevention assistance is now available. RCs will once again be a ministry the household assistance component where eligible renters can apply. Appointments are required in events. We are utilizing our automatic schedule er, which allows of applicants to select a neighborhood place drop off site convenient for them due to the cove it our offices will remain closed for face to face interaction, so we're using a drop off system. Our staff would access the documentation from the drop off for eligibility and will contact residents within five days after the status of their applications. There is also on option to upload documentation using a secure website. Let me repeat that there is also an option to upload documentation. Using a secure website, the mayor mentioned eligibility, which includes households with the income within 80% of the AM I, which is area medium income who hope s rent due to the cove. It panted emmick and with a verification of loss of income due to cove, it required documentation. Includes a eviction notice are a past due notice on red hit your I D for all adult household members, proof of social Security cards for household members and proof of income. Within the last 60 days, our automatic skeleton schedule. ER provides more detail for both eligibility and documentation. So here's how to apply. You can call the automatic schedule er s Eric 0502 308 3344 Our visit Our online online website at Louisville. Spell out Louisville kyi dot gov four slash neighborhood Place. Let me repeat that. Call our automatic schedule er at Eriko Foveaux, too. 3083344 Our visit our online at Louisville. Spell out Louisville kyi dot gov four slash neighborhood place funds for rental assistance will be paid directly to the landlord in regards to the eviction In regards to the court eviction diversion program component of the eviction prevention program, our colleagues at the Louisville Metro Housing Office of Housing have already begun processing applications. Flood the new finds. The court eviction diversion program acts as a final stopgap measure for residents. Face an addiction through the court system, and through this program alone, Louisville, Metro and our partners at Legal aid have assisted more than 3500 residents. We're glad to have never Marie Holly Scott Legal Aid here today with us to give us more details readers with a pending case in court should visit. Stop my eviction dot org's. Those were three words, but really, when you put it together, it's one word. Stop. My eviction dot org's are called the Office of Housing at Eric 05025741707 Let me repeat that, Eric 05025741707 And there, As you mentioned, I wanted to remind the community that the utility assistance program continues to be available to help residents who have been impacted at Cove it with past due LG and E and Louisville Water slash MSD bills. And RCs is administering the annual AHI crisis component, the low income Home Energy Assistance Program, through the end of March. Also, our partners with Louisville Asset Building Coalition are offering free tax preparation for eligible residents in Jefferson County. Please visit our RCs Web page at Louisville. Spell out Louisville kyi dot gov four slash RCs for details on each of these programs. The cove it 19 pandemic has greatly emphasized the value of housing and staying healthy at home. RCs remains committed to continue our efforts to reduce evictions and prevent homelessness. I'll turn it back over to you, Mayor. Okay. Thanks to Mika, please extend my appreciation to the team in RCs as well. Also, I want to recognize Councilman Nicole George. What I see is with this, a councilman is a great, uh, advocate and team member toe Always help bring relief to people that needed. So, Councilwoman George, thank you very much for all your good work on this project and so many others. I'm happy now to be joined by Lady who's received assistance for these programs, and she's going to share her story with us. She's on the telephone, and her name is Judy Smith. So, Judy, I hope you can come through with us and tell us. Tell us your story. Yes, sir. Thank you. Um, as you know, my name is Jerry Smith of back in March. Early March were mid March. I was told about the Coburn and the facility that I was working in by me being of age and prior, uh, situations with myself, health situations. With myself. I had to leave that facility with subsidized my social Security in in, uh, income. I was told about this program about a friend that said that it might be able to help me. I called. I did, uh, what was asked of me? Um, I turned in my information, and it was a simple process. I went down to the place, got the paperwork, turned it back in with my the proper after papers that I needed to turn in. And it was like a 123 steps. I've never really signed up for anything before, so I was doing some kind of way. But these people down here at Yajima Special lady named Miss Donna I don't have her last name. She was very helpful. I was just so appreciative of what they did for me. Um, I felt a little little funny about it, but, you know, it really helped me to subsidize what I had to do in my home. I just want to say thank you, Andi. I appreciate it so much for those people to be able to help me in my time of crisis. Um, just want to say thank you. Well, thanks, Judy. You know. Thanks. Judy. Thank you for allowing us to work with you. And thanks for recognizing Ms Donna Yajima. There's so many wonderful folks that are just out there trying to make life better for each and every person every day. So, Miss Donna, thank you. And Judy Donna? Yes, thank you, Mayor, for giving me the opportunity to let, uh, people know that these places are here for you if you need them. But the people working and don't make you feel any kind of way about coming and being neighbor toe have to ask for assistance, which for some people, it's kind of hard to dio. Well, we're all in it together. So that's why it's important. Thanks for stepping up and showing the way and being a good model for us. Judy, look forward to seeing you someday, Thank you very much. All right. God bless that flashes. All right, let's talk to now about the court eviction diversion program because it's another component of our eviction prevention assistance efforts, and it was made possible because of a partnership with Louisville Metro's Office of Housing, the Legal Aid Society in the court system. See Maryland Harris on our call here today, So I want to say thank you to Maryland and the wonderful Job that you and your team are doing is well. The Legal Aid Society has been a key partner with Maryland and her team in all in all of our eviction prevention efforts. So representing the Legal Aid Society is Nava Marie Polly Scott, executive director of Legal Aid Society. So welcomed even. Please tell us how we're doing. Thank you, Mary Fisher. Appreciate the opportunity to be here today. Andi, I just want to say how proud I am to be part of a community where the emphasis is on keeping people in their homes, um, and preventing evictions. Historically, the legal community is reactionary. In situations like this, you know, something bad happens, a person can't pay their rent and then eviction is filed. And we're reacting to a crisis situation when it's already very far down the road. Right now, we have extraordinary resource is available through Metro government that are gonna be available as you mentioned on Monday on. We've never had resource is like this before. And Marilyn Harris and to make glared and their teams have done an amazing job, getting resource is out, and I look forward to continuing to work with them. Likewise, I'd like to say that the court system worked with us to start a prevention program that Maryland and her team appear in court on for Daily and legal aid attorneys appear at daily, where tennis are offered the opportunity to submit a C. D. C declaration to their landlord, which is a document that you can find online at. Stop my eviction dot org's and you submit that to your landlord and then show up in court and tell the judge that you have submitted that and the judge will continue the case to a later date. Um, and a determination is made by the court whether the renter qualifies for an exemption from eviction based upon that declaration. Now, one of the things that Tameka and Maryland and I have talked about a lot is what about the tenants who don't show up in court? We are concerned about them, and there are preventative measures available for them. We hear sometimes from our friends in the community that sometimes people aren't showing up in court because they think, well, I'm just going to get evicted. And right now, with the CDC declaration, that may not be the case and so it's really we want to get the message out that it's really important to show up in court to tell the judge that you are trying to work on getting resource is from Louisville Metro on, but you are asking for more time before being evicted. Um, the other thing that I would note is that when the CDC declaration ends on March 31st, if it's not extended, we are going to have to deal with the issue of all these eviction cases that have been passed. And so we have all been working in the community, the local Urban League, the Coalition for the Homeless, Louisville Metro Government. The courts were all working, trying thio, um, developed systems so that we can address those cases and prevent mass evictions in our community. Um, not to say the same things over again, but I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be proactive right now. I think the resource is are available more than ever, and it's a matter of connecting. Those resource is with people in need. Eso legal aid is here with our sleeves rolled up along with the rest of you all. We appreciate the opportunity to serve together on BookScan. Go to stop my eviction order to find their way to us is well, so we're glad to be part of the team. And glad to be here today. Thank you. All right, well, thanks, Stephen. Again, thanks to the legal aid for stepping up, you guys do amazing work for the community to from the goodness of your hearts and the sharpness of your brain. So we appreciate that on I wanna thank all of the other partners from the public. Private nonprofit sectors are working together on this effort. I mean, maintaining housing is number one. Without that, it is just hard to have anything going well together in your life. So I really appreciate all the focus on this. So you've heard this over and over. But there's one thing the media is gonna keep pushing out. There is. It's stop my eviction dot org's for more information about thes resource is and services. So to recap, if you're facing eviction in your household meets eligibility criteria apply for this program. Visit. Stop my eviction dot org's to complete and sign the CDC declaration form and make sure you get it to your landlord. There is a moratorium on evictions until March 31st, which means you cannot be evicted due to non payment. But every individual, 18 and older in your household must sign and send the document to your landlord. Now note this moratorium is through March 31st. Right now, I pray and hope that President Biden will extend that deadline. It seems like he would. He's a good man with a big heart. But as Congress works through all these things, they're not quite at that point right now, so we can't bank on that. But I certainly hope it's gonna be there. So in the meantime, March 31st is that date now? Also, you want to note that rent payments will still accrue, but the moratorium, obviously it prevents eviction. We want you to stay in your house so I encourage everyone to seek assistance if you need it. Eso We could keep everybody houses during these cold months and during this pandemic. And while we're encouraged by the vaccine, we still got a ways to go. But we're going to get there. All right, so with that, we're happy to take any questions. Yes, Oh, okay, Councilman George, I threw my appreciation at you and please share some thoughts with us Mayor. The true value. This investment is immeasurable and cannot be understated for individuals most impacted back over it and unable to pay rent, it offers a short reprieve from the ongoing anxiety and trauma that comes from housing insecurity. This assistance is a life draft that many might not otherwise ever dig their way out of the mounting bills that eventually lead to an eviction and what's also known as a credit felony and District 21 we have many large apartment complexes that have a 25% delinquency rate. So for this system, this support and housing also ensures that project our property manners have the ability to keep staff employed, ensure quality housing conditions and provide overall stability for the market. Availability of this funding is not just the socially just thing to do. It's also the most cost. Effective. Research has shown time and again that it's easier to keep someone housed than it is to secure housing once homeless. And of course, this doesn't begin toe calculate the indirect cost incurred due to homelessness. So with that I want to thank Mayor Fisher and the leadership teams within developed Louisville and resiliency and community services for making housing Stabilization of priority. Also, I think, are hardworking neighborhood place staff, one of which we heard about today. In addition to the non profits and the folks that stopped my eviction dot org's for doing the work everyday toe advocate and serve community members. It's your partnership that makes this possible. Thank you bank accounts Woman. Alright, well, now take questions from the media. Just thanks, Mayor. Our first questions come from Stephanie Wolfe with wf pl and this, uh, this question is for the mayor, but maybe Maryland can jump in as well. Stephanie asks. When did the mayor learned to change? Sorry. When did the mayor learn about the change to zoom, eviction, hearing info? And what specifically has he done to offer relief? Two people who were locked out of their own hearing in her next question is, is the city planning to prioritize those locked out of their hearing and distributing relief money to evicted tenants? Thanks, Stephanie eso Obviously, we learned about it very quickly as it was happening in our team, and I went to work on it, right, right away. So I'll throw this Maryland to you. Yes. So I sit in eviction court every day to work with these tenants. And on that specific day, I was locked out of the picture court as well as was all of the legal aid attorneys. And so we were having conversations back and forth because sometimes there are problems with zoom like you just can't get into a meeting or the court is having problems. And it was about 25 minutes, um, into the 9 a.m. Docket on that Monday that we found out that the court number had changed the call. The number had changed. We got the number and we got in. So all of those people that were locked out and I can't begin to tell you how many exactly it was. But we're working very closely with legal aid, the judges, the court