FAQ’s: What You Need to Know About Changes Regarding Rental and Utility Assistance
It is no surprise that the call for both rental and utility assistance has increased greatly in Denton this past year. Still suffering from the economic fallout COVID-19 has left in its wake, many families are finding themselves in need of help and looking for somewhere to turn.
Thankfully, the response call has been great.
Giving Hope (a partner agency of Serve Denton) is on the front lines providing both rental and utility assistance to friends in the community unable to pay their bills. Many, for the first time.
Upon recent changes to certain programs, these are the top 5 most frequently asked questions regarding rental and utility assistance in Denton County:
Notice:
Due to high demand, rental assistance is currently not available until January.
Once rental assistance is available again, this is what you will need to know.
1. What do I need to do/have to be eligible for rental or utility assistance?
In order to receive assistance, you first have to reside in the Denton County area. Upon that verification, you must then submit the following documents:
Government-issued ID
Social Security card
Verification of loss of income/job due to COVID-19 measures
Most current bank statement(s) for all the household members (18 or over)
Lease agreement.
Once all of these documents are in order, you can then begin the application process.
2. When will I know if my application was approved?
When Giving Hope, Inc. receives all of your documents, they will then send your application to the funder. Once the funder receives your documents, he or she will review your application and let us know if there is anything else needed from you, or if it has been approved or denied.
3. When will the assistance check be available?
Once your landlord forwards his or her completed W9 to the United Way of Denton County (UWDC), checks will then be issued. However, the UWDC has its own process, so it may take some time.
Once Giving Hope, Inc. receives the checks made out to the appropriate parties, they will contact you. At that point, you can either pick it up from Giving Hope, or they can mail them directly to your landlord or utility company.
4. How many months can I get rental assistance?
Due to current funding and high demand of need, you can receive rental assistance for a maximum of 3 months during the life of the program. (COVID-19 assistance is funded through The Cares Act, and all changes are specific to Cares Act funding).
However, at this time due to extremely high demand, there is no more rental assistance available until January 2021.
5. What do I have to do to get an additional month of assistance?
If you have not yet received a maximum of 3 months, then you will need to submit your most current bank statement, in order for Giving Hope, Inc. to forward your request to the funder. You can also find additional resources related to COVID-19 assistance on their website for your convenience.
Life is challenging — some seasons more so than others.
But you don’t have to struggle alone.
If you find yourself needing assistance, or have questions regarding how Giving Hope, Inc. can help you, contact them via phone at 940-382-0609 to speak to a staff member about your options.