LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Help is available for Louisvillians who need rent assistance, Mayor Greg Fischer (D) announced. Residents can apply for the assistance through City efforts funded by $21.2 million from the federal CARES Act. 

In July, the Eviction Prevention COVID-19 Relief Fund launched, designed to help low-to-moderate income households behind on rent payments because of the pandemic. The program covers up to three months of rent for households facing coronavirus-related delinquencies. 

"Families and individuals who were already rent burdened, or living paycheck-to-paycheck, are particularly vulnerable to the sudden loss in income that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Fischer. “This eviction prevention assistance will provide much needed relief to help those who need it most to keep a roof over their heads.”

The Office of Resilience and Community Services will administer the assistance to households earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income, which is $61,100 annually for a family of four. Appointments should be made in advance.

Here's what you need to know:

Eligibility:

• Must be a Jefferson County resident;
• Must have a pending court eviction or a past due notice from landlord;
• Must have household income up to 80 percent AMI (Area Median Income) within the previous 30 days;  
• The assistance must be necessary to avoid eviction;
• Must be a reasonable prospect that the household will be able to resume payments within a reasonable period of time; and
• Must be a household facing COVID-related delinquencies.

Fischer also said landlords of federal, state or locally subsidized multi-family or single family units (i.e., LIHTC, CDBG, HOME Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Louisville CARES or to tenants that receive Section 8) may also apply on behalf of multiple tenants, eliminating the need for income verification. This portion of the program is administered by the Louisville Metro Office of Housing, part of Develop Louisville.

Application:

Landlords in Jefferson County may apply for assistance on behalf of their tenants online. 

The landlord must:

• Be currently registered on the Rental Registry;
• Have no outstanding code violations on the property for which rent is being paid;
• Waive all late fees, fines, and penalties;
• Forgo evictions for assisted tenants for 60 days after assistance is provided; and
• Provide pre-COVID-19 rent rolls to document delinquency rates before and after the pandemic. 

Further information and services can be found online, such as rental assistance and resources, help coordinating assistance when facing an eviction, and support from an Eviction Prevention Task Force coordinator.

A member of the Eviction Prevention Task Force, the Legal Aid Society also provides legal assistance to those facing eviction. Legal Aid represents tenants in court, helping them avoid eviction.