Cuyahoga County providing $6.8 million for residents struggling to make rent due to coronavirus crisis

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish said a survey recently conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau showed over 21% of Ohio residents are currently unable to make their monthly housing payments.

With the local unemployment rate skyrocketing to 23.5% in April, people who aren’t working may face difficulty paying rent, Budish said.

Therefore, county officials are working with the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid, Lakewood, and Parma to create a uniform countywide system for emergency rental assistance to prevent residents from losing their homes and facing homelessness.

Budish said he has recommended the council that the county set aside $5 million if their Corona Relief Funds from the federal government and $1.8 million of their Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Rent Relief for this effort.

The $6.8 million will provide up to three months of back rent to income-eligible applicants, according to Budish.

Budish said, “the checks will be made to their landlords, which will not only keep people in their homes but should also stem the economic disaster that will hurt building owners - landlords.”

The Cleveland Housing Network will be accepting applications on July 1.

However, anyone who needs assistance now is urged to all 211.

“We want to keep people in their homes. We’re doing everything we can to get our residents through the coronavirus-economic crisis,” Budish said.

[ Cuyahoga County health officials discuss latest increase in area’s COVID-19 cases ]

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