LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana will provide up to $500 per month to households unable to pay rent because of the pandemic.
The program will be available only to households outside of Marion County, which has its own rental assistance program.
A landlord needs to agree to participate in the program for a renter to get assistance. The landlord will also need to agree to not evict a renter for nonpayment until the rent is more than 45 days delinquent.
To qualify, applicants must have experienced a loss of income due to a layoff, reduced work hours or reduced pay due to COVID-19. The household must also have a lower income now than before March 6, according to a story by Fox59.
People who already are receiving rental assistance will not be eligible.
Jacob Sipe, executive director of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Agency, announced the rent assistance program Wednesday.
Sipe said the new program is not meant to cover the entire rent payment, and he urged renters to keep in contact with landlords to maintain a payment plan.
Households can get up to four months of assistance. The funds can be applied to past-due rent and will go directly to the landlord.
Indiana is funding the program with money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, commonly called the CARES Act, which the federal government enacted to limit damage from the pandemic.
Applications will be accepted starting July 13. Officials said they expect the program to help about 12,000 households.
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday also said Wednesday that he will extend his emergency prohibition on eviction and foreclosure proceedings through Aug. 1, a move that will, for another month, spare Hoosier tenants and borrowers from facing the prospect of losing their homes.
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