EAST LANSING, Mich. — To further assist income-eligible East Lansing residents experiencing financial hardships as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of East Lansing has allocated additional funds to its Emergency Rental & Mortgage Assistance Program and expanded the program to include funding assistance for utilities.
As a part of the newly expanded program, applicants meeting income eligibility requirements can now apply to receive up to $7,000 in total grant assistance for rent or mortgage past due payments for a period of up to six consecutive months and up to $3,000 in past due utility assistance for a period of up to six consecutive months. Residents must live within the City of East Lansing’s limits and provide documentation of a COVID-19-related hardship, such as loss of a job, a decrease in hours worked or an unexpected medical bill.
Funding for this program was provided by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) Program. As a CDBG-entitlement community, the City of East Lansing has received two rounds of CDBG-CV funds totaling $517,610 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first round of funds was split between a Small Business Relief Program and the Emergency Rental & Mortgage Assistance Program, which has served 39 households to date. The second round of funds has been fully allocated for the newly expanded Emergency Rental, Mortgage & Utilities Assistance Program to continue to provide support to East Lansing residents.
“We are pleased to be able to continue to offer this financial support to residents and to be able to expand it to include funding support for utilities,” said Community Development & Engagement Manager Amy Schlusler-Schmitt. “We encourage residents to reach out if they are in need of assistance.”
Applicants will work directly with non-profit housing agency Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) to apply for and receive the funds. Application materials and program guidelines are available at https://www.capitalareahousing.org. Residents with questions can contact the CAHP office at (517) 332-4663 or assistance@capitalareahousing.org for more information. Applicants will be assisted on a first come, first served basis.
“We understand that each person’s story is unique, and it is okay to ask for help,” said CAHP Executive Director Rawley Van Fossen. “Our housing counselors are equipped to assist East Lansing residents through financial hardships brought on by the pandemic so they can sustain their homes.”