BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) — On Tuesday, Brown County was awarded nearly 8 million dollars in federal emergency rental assistance funds to help those who have been impacted by COVID-19 pay for their rental costs.
According to Cheryl Detrick, the President and CEO of Newcap, the funds will likely be made available as soon as March 13th for those Brown County residents who are eligible. County leaders say the assistance is intended to help renters who have been unemployed, experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardships due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
To qualify for the rental assistance Brown County residents are required to be 18 years old, one of more person residing in the household must qualify for unemployment or must have experienced a significant reduction in income due to the COVID outbreak, and individuals would have to demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
"The impact this funding has on renters, landlords, their families and the economy of Brown County, in general, cannot be underestimated.... Newcap is proud to stand with Brown County to get this relief out as quickly as possible to meet our community members' needs," said Detrick.
Residents applying for the assistance, according to Detrick, would also have to have a household income at or below 80 percent of the area's median income. For a one-person household to qualify for the assistance an individual would have to make less than $45,850 annually, for a two-person household the median income is required to be less than $52,400 annually, and for a three-person household, the median income would have to be at or below $58,950 annually.
For more information on how to apply for emergency rental assistance in Brown County, head to Newcap's website to submit your application and find out if you qualify. Funds are currently being made available on a first-come, first-served basis.
