City launches partnership to assist residents financially impacted by COVID-19
The City of Dallas, DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas, the United Way, and other nonprofits
are partnering to help residents financially impacted by COVID-19.
The CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund Emergency (CRF) Short Term Rental Assistance Program will be financed by the City’s Department of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization and Office of Community Care. The program will be administered by DHA and local nonprofits.
“Utilizing our community networks to support the City in deploying the funding is part of adapting the program to meet the needs of families during what we know is a difficult time,” said Chief of Economic Development and Neighborhood Services, Dr. Eric A. Johnson.
The Department of Housing and Revitalization allocated a total of $6 million to DHA and local nonprofits to administer the CARES Act CRF Emergency Short Term Rental Assistance Program. DHA received $4.5 million through an inter-local agreement and presented a strategic plan based on equity indicators that would distribute funds through regular lottery drawings in City Council districts. The remaining $1.5 million was distributed among the nonprofits based on the strength of their applications in the Request For Application evaluation criteria.
Information about DHA and the nonprofits administering the CARES Act CRF Emergency Short Term Rental Assistance Program will be posted on the City of Dallas COVID-19 website, the City of Dallas Department of Housing & Neighborhood Revitalization’s webpage and the City of Dallas COVID-19 hotline (214-670-INFO).
Applications are expected to open in the coming weeks. Visit participating nonprofit websites to learn when the programs open. Some of the nonprofit programs are by referral only and are not open to general application.
A list of the participating nonprofits are below:
- Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) | DallasCaresActRent.org
- The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Collaborative | unitedwaydallas.org/rental-assistance/
Each of the Dallas Rental Assistance Collaborative partners have links to their requirements and pre-screen applications at unitedwaydallas.org/rental-assistance/ Once you find the best fit, only apply to one, as duplications will not be accepted. Catholic Charites of Dallas, Metrocrest Services, Harmony CDC, The Wilkinson Center and Salvation Army are part of the collaborative. - Human Rights Initiative | hrionline.org/
HRI is by referral only and serves clients who use other HRI services and identify and provide services to special populations, including immigrants and refugees, and other City of Dallas residents who are hard-to-reach through traditional outreach strategies. - Voice of Hope | voiceofhope.org/
Voice of Hope will expand its current Secret Angel bills assistance program and processes to accommodate the funding and channel it to families in need. - Refugee Services of Texas | rstx.org/locations/dallas.html
Refugee Services of Texas (RST) is a statewide social-service agency dedicated to assisting refugees and other displaced persons fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group as well as to the communities that welcome them.