The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immeasurable challenges to Clark County, WA leaving many community members unable to pay their rent. The Housing Hotline at the Housing Solutions Center receives numerous calls on a daily basis from families, seniors, couples, youth and single adults all seeking rent assistance.
When the Federal CARES Act reauthorization was enacted in late December 2020, rent assistance was one of its many investments. This rent assistance was made available to large counties and states through the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Clark County, WA will receive approximately $14 million from the Treasury to contract with local non-profits to provide rent assistance. While this is a large amount of money, it will likely support a fraction of the estimated 19,000 or 12 percent of renters in Clark County, WA needing assistance. The need will greatly outweigh these considerable resources.
At this time, the following steps are underway by, Clark County, WA:
- Working to gain permission to spend the money;
- Determining how much money each agency will receive;
- Clarifying Federal program requirements;
- Developing program guidelines;
- Negotiating non-profit contracts; and
- Creating access points for rent assistance.
Bottom Line: As of February 3, 2021, it is unknown when and how the screening for CARES Act rent assistance will begin. Please view the Council for the Homeless Rent Assistance Webpage for rent assistance updates and access point(s). In addition, watch for Press Releases and updates on social media once more information is available.
We know the need is high and all partners are working as quickly as possible to create a program that can quickly provide rent assistance to as many Clark County, WA renter households as possible. In 2020, five local non-profits provided ERAP (Eviction Rent Assistance Program) assistance that paid over 7,000 months of rent assistance to nearly 2,000 households. There is more to do and we stand ready as partners to provide rent assistance for neighbors who have been affected by COVID.