Under federal statute, ERA programs cant move forward with processing payment to a tenant until theyve tried to contact that tenants landlord a designated number of times. Attorney Mercy Roberg was able to stop Paskos eviction in court. But theres also been common issues with tenants having difficulty providing documentation showing financial hardship caused by the pandemic, which is a federal requirement. On 11/4/21 at 2 pm I received this: Your application to OUR Florida is currently awaiting a response from your landlord. I applied for rental assistance on 11/2/21 at 2 am. Florida lawmaker suggests limiting electric vehicles during hurricane evacuations, FSU fires warning shot to ACC: Something has to change, Did you do your taxes? i will call them when i am finished if you are able to talk for the min. These rights vary by state but always include the tenant's right to a habitable premises, due process before an eviction and more. She said there were too few caseworkers to review and approve applications. It took all this. Click here for our Housing Choice Voucher COVID updates. If you live in Pinellas County and need help with a possible eviction, click here to connect with the Community Law Program. OUR Florida has paid out $23.2 million to 5,403 households.. I requested benefits all the way up to 10/24/21 (got a job on 10/25/21) and they put all those payments on "Hold". Roberg said that just since December, her organization has worked with around 25 people who are facing evictions while waiting to receive payments from Our Florida. Looking at the bills, she knew the September rent was going to be hard, so she applied for emergency rental assistance with both Pinellas County and the state's Department Of Children and Families OUR Florida. While the family's caught up on rent for now, they're not sure their housing situation is secure. OUR Florida is no longer accepting or processing applications as the program has fully distributed all available state funds. Pasko is a dental hygienist who also takes care of her 74-year-old mother, Pamela Balcom. Were no longer living for ourselves; were living for him, Bryant said of their son Tahj. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. I just don't want that mess again with the damn emails and late fees crap like last month. An Our Florida representative said that if a scheduled payment is flagged as undeposited, the agency reaches out via text to the renter 45 days after the payment was sent, and again after 60 days. (Spectrum News/Molly Duerig), The Expediting Assistance to Renters and Landlords Act, Housing help: A list of Central Florida housing resources, according to a July study published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida published a video, states and local governments had only distributed 11 percent of the $46.5 billion approved by Congress for ERA, Skyrocketing housing costs are straining many renters here, California Consumer Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, California Consumer Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Some landlords are refusing to accept ERA payments on behalf of their tenants, National Low Income Housing Coalition: Many landlords just dont want to participate in a government program. Hundreds of thousands of Florida renters are estimated to be at risk of losing their homes, just as the delta variant is causing renewed apprehension among health experts. Rent an apartment, house or other dwelling in Florida. Thats when she turned to the Community Law Program, a nonprofit working with tenants and landlords in Pinellas County. Learn More About Assisted Housing. original sound - Therealraulbolufe - Raul Bolufe. LL is correct and customer service rep from OUR FL said whoever is our case manager hasnt touched whole file since 11/3. Note: these rights exist regardless of a rental . Everything you need to know about Florida's theme parks and the all-new Attractions Insider podcast! Santiago said Siloam Management is still waiting to see how quickly Our Florida payments will be processed - whether it'll always . Our Florida says it has dramatically increased its distribution pace, but missing payments and communication dead-ends leave some renters stranded. Both landlord and I are approved. For more information, please see our Please visit the Waiting List page for more information or to apply during . CLEARWATER, Fla. Residential evictions continue to increase in Tampa Bay, but some of these evictions are happening while residents are waiting for emergency rental assistance from programs like OUR Florida. Staff writer Austin Havens-Bowen covers the rental market and answers renters' questions in a column called Realty Bites. The states assistance program makes $800 million available to prevent eviction of renters who have been unable to pay their full rent or utilities because of a pandemic-related decline in income or increase in expenses. [RELATED: CDC extends eviction moratorium, buying time for renters and landlords to get aid]. They are good tenants; they are passing through a hard time, but we are not thinking [of doing] something against them.. Unless the lease states otherwise, rent is due at the beginning of each pay period and is . Here's the person that will send you a screenshot with the check number and the date it was dispersed that would be my ask, Roberg said. A "provisional approval" and . The email, from department spokeswoman Mallory McManus, also said the department has been working tirelessly to ensure the funding from OUR Florida is distributed to renters in need while ensuring the integrity of the program., McManus said OUR Florida has received more than 30,000 applications, and most that havent been approved are awaiting action by the tenant to provide additional information or documentation. She said the program has made 80,000 calls in an effort to collect the required documents and complete applications that match registered landlords can be processed and verified in as little as 18 days.. The program receives more than 11,000 calls to its support line each day. She never heard back. I have emailed them and faxed them and NOTHING. 6.2K Likes, 373 Comments. Re: Request for Rent Assistance. Information for Landlords If you are interested in becoming a Section 8 landlord, the following information will help you understand the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program: Single family home rental in Tamarac Florida showing. Hundreds of millions remain unspent as the state lags behind the national pace. TikTok video from Veronique (@queen_of_chaosapparently): "Replying to @queen_of_chaosapparently I am so relieved and thankful! When she looks at her portal now, it says, The assistance will be provided directly to your landlord. Privacy Policy. The waiting period for assistance is dependent on your local governments process for approving and distributing assistance. TAMPA, Fla. An ABC Action News I-Team investigation found that more local tenants face eviction while waiting for help after Florida received $870 million intended to rescue pandemic impacted renters. For this information, please go online . Visit the Manatee County ERA Ambassador located at Gulfcoast Legal Services Bradenton Office, 1112 Manatee Ave E. on the Second Floor. Now a whistleblower sheds light on why the program failed so many times in the past. and our She said she had been working as a nursing aide for a small agency and inconsistent shifts made it difficult to stay on top of bills. Theres no one to catch me, no couch I can sleep on its just me.. Santiago said Siloam Management is still waiting to see how quickly Our Florida payments will be processed whether itll always take 15 to 18 days, like the first time. Subscribe to our free HowTheyLived newsletter. Checks to cover rent for October and November arrived, but Owens said the back payments for September and August never came. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. She received her second eviction notice the week of Thanksgiving. Molly Duerig is a Report for America corps member who is covering affordable housing for Spectrum News 13. The family is also preparing for Bryants upcoming surgery, an invasive procedure to relieve pressure from behind Bryants eyes that could cause blindness if left untreated. Florida received more than $870 million to distribute for rent and utility relief, through Our Florida, a program under the Department of Families and Children. (No-Mad/iStock via Getty Images Plus). Once that document is received in our office, a Housing Inspector will contact the landlord to schedule an inspection of the unit. Owens said she felt good when she found out she was approved. ?? If a tenant fails to pay rent in a timely manner, both parties still have . She started making and selling jewelry, but it wasnt enough. TAMPA, Fla. An I-Team investigation revealed renters being evicted while waiting on a slice of the $870 million allocated to the DCF's Our Florida . TikTok video from ManagingStupidity (@managingstupidity): "#HPSustainableSounds #PassTheBIC #rental #renters #ourflorida #covid19 #rentalassistance #evictions #tenants #landlord #propertymanagement #communitymanager #propertymanager #fyp #foryoupage #tiktok #managingstupidity #share #help". Subscribe to our free Business by the Bay newsletter. Applicants were rejected for various reasons, Liu said, including not actually being past-due, providing no evidence that their arrearage was linked to COVID-19, or their landlord refused to provide supporting documentation. original sound - Therealraulbolufe - Raul Bolufe. If you are located in Brevard County, Florida, call 211, and provide the intake specialist with your information. None of these figures include previous, smaller rounds of rent relief doled out by the state and local governments as part of the CARES Act. Still, an 18-day wait might be faster than the processing time applicants can expect if they apply to one of the counties programs. Can we find out if it was cashed? Published May 18, 2021 | Updated May 18, 2021. A Case Manager is reviewing your application and verifying your eligibility. Also, if you have rental property within our jurisdiction you wish to list with our office, please do so at www.gosection8.com (1-866-466-7328). An Our Florida representative said that if a scheduled payment is flagged as undeposited, the agency reaches out via text to the renter 45 days after the payment was sent, and again after 60 days. Your Name. COVID-19 Financial Assistance. And a twist. Im still waiting on my first one. In recent texts to Bryant, the property manager has both said she doesn't plan to evict, and also referenced the company's "consideration of continuing the lease" which is current, through January. Note: An ERAP determination is an approval or denial of the ERAP application. Despite shutting it down on March 15 after receiving 17,000 applications, the county had not sent out any money as of April 28, officials said. [RELATED: Heres how to get help with past-due rent in Broward]. If you are a renter seeking help, or a current or former employee of Our Florida, please take a moment and answer our questionsby clicking here. Tampa has a business improvement district. or call us at 479-394-1565. The first round of federal rental assistance money as part of this program was passed in the final days of 2020, and some other state and local governments were ready to comb through applications starting in February. If you live by one of their physical offices, you might benefit from visiting in person. Call us to find out: (800) 230-5920. https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/where-to-get-help/. I can understand the very first payment late. 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