Rental assistance available for hard-hit residents

Posted on Sep 29, 2020 in Capitol Connection, Featured

Governor Ige explains the new Rent Relief & Housing Assistance Program.

The state’s new Rent Relief and Housing Assistance Program (RRHAP) will help Hawai‘i residents with payments of up to $2,000 a month for O‘ahu households and $1,500 a month for neighbor island households. Those eligible include renters who are unemployed or partially unemployed due to the pandemic and have a household income at or below 100 percent of area median income. (In Honolulu, that’s $88,200 for a single individual or $125,900 for a family of four.)

Denise Iseri-Matsubara, executive director of the Hawaii Housing and Finance Development Corporation.

The new program was announced last month by Governor Ige and Denise Iseri-Matsubara, Hawaii Housing and Finance Development Corporation executive director. “We want to keep people in their homes during this very difficult time,” said the governor. “Working with the Legislature, we directed $50 million in federal CARES Act funds for the first phase of this program.” Plans for a second phase are being finalized, with another $50 million dedicated to additional coverage of rents and mortgages. Applications are currently being accepted for housing payments due between August 1, 2020 and December 28, 2020. Payments will go directly to landlords and can be made in lump sum amounts. To apply, go to www.hihousinghelp.com or contact either Catholic Charities Hawai‘i or Aloha United Way, the non-profit partners helping applicants through the process.