Columbia City Council puts $300,000 toward pandemic housing assistance
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia and Boone County families in need of rental and mortgage assistance have an opportunity to get help from Voluntary Action Center after the Columbia City Council awarded $300,000 for housing to two local organizations.
The Voluntary Action Center and Columbia Housing Authority received the money after a third round of pandemic relief funding through a federal Community Development Block Grant.
The Voluntary Action Center was granted $230,000 to provide rental assistance to families in Columbia and Boone County. VAC hopes the money will provide assistance for 60 households and 150 people, but will add more households if possible.
Executive Director Ed Stansberry said people who were directly affected by COVID-19 and need rental or mortgage assistance are eligible for the money. Stansberry said there was some concern that with the virus getting more under control that the demand for assistance would decrease.
Stansberry said he expects demand to spike after a federal eviction moratorium stops at the end of July.
"After that day we'll see an increase in demand for these funds. I don't think we'll have a problem pushing them into the community at all," Stansberry said.
Stansberry said the organization will provide assistance until the money is exhausted. Signups begin Tuesday, he said.
Those who are interested in applying for assistance can contact VAC 573-874-2273 to begin the screening and application process.
Once the application processes is started, VAC may contact a former or current employer to verify the information given is true.
The Columbia Housing Authority was granted more than $77,000 to hire a "housing ambassador." CEO Randy Cole said the organization wants to hire that position this summer.
Cole said the new hire will help lower-income renters get connected to eligible properties in a competitivehousing market. Cole said the housing ambassador will attend presentations and meetings with the apartment association, they will become connected to available properties in the community and work directly with the people the CHA serves.
"The housing specialist will give the personal care and attention to each program participant that they need to get connected to available and eligible properties that are also safe, healthy and affordable -- all of our program requirements," Cole said.
CHA has about 500 households on its waiting list. Cole said he anticipates additional assistance in the near future.
