Love Columbia says it needs more money to prevent evictions as pandemic funding runs out

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The charity Love Columbia is asking for donations for its rental assistance program because pandemic-era stimulus money is nearly exhausted.

The organization says in a news release that it was notified on Aug. 19 that federal pandemic-era funding for rental assistance is no longer available.

Love Columbia says in a news release that it has used more than $800,000 of pandemic funds to help prevent evictions in Boone County, with 712 prevented evictions alone in the first half of 2024.

According to the release, Love Columbia found an increased need for rent assistance, citing how rent in Columbia has risen since 2019. Love Columbia says that today, average rent ranges from $861 per month for a one-bedroom to $1,620 for a four-bedroom, requiring a minimum hourly wage of $16.56 to stay afloat.

According to the Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness, there are 323 homeless people in Boone County. Columbia Public Schools reported 614 students experienced homelessness during the previous 2024 school year, the coalition reported.

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