Boone County, charity helping residents with housing instability amid pandemic

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission plans to dedicate money to help people who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with their rent and mortgage payments.

The Voluntary Action Center is working alongside the commission to provide $20,000 in total assistance.

The commission will allocate $5,000 of that $20,000 total, which will come from funds the county gets through its lease of Boone Hospital Center to BJC Healthcare.

Boone County Northern District Commissioner Janet Thompson said the intervention is meant to help avoid an increasing homeless population. The pandemic has led to large job losses. The City of Columbia reported Monday that 11,773 COVID-19-related unemployment claims had been filed in Boone County through June 20.

A moratorium on evictions in federally-subsidized housing will end July 25, as well. Officials say that means many Columbia and Boone County households are facing housing instability and an inability to cover monthly housing costs.

To find out if you're eligible for assistance call the VAC at 573-874-2273.