Fulop anuncia el último programa de alivio al alquiler de COVID-19 para la ciudad de Jersey

Mayor Fulop Announces Latest COVID-19 Rent Relief Program for Neediest Small Unit Landlords and Tenants

Jersey City Increases Financial Aid to Most Vulnerable Residents, up to $10,000 for Low-income Families

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) announce the latest Jersey City COVID-19 Rent Relief Program, which will provide up to $10,000 in much-needed rental assistance to low-income Jersey City families who have experienced significant financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rent Relief Program will prioritize families living in owner-occupied buildings with less than five apartments.

The goal of the rental assistance program is twofold in that each grant will provide rent relief to residents with the greatest need while simultaneously ensuring small property owners that live on the premise also benefit most from the program. The City will dedicate more than $7 million received from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds administered by the JCHA on behalf of the City to provide up to $10,000 per qualifying household to cover rent and rental arrears.

“We understand that families are struggling to pay rent, and small property owners are also struggling to keep up with the mortgage and other bills. That’s why we are focusing on owner occupied buildings with four units or less, because they have been the hardest-hit and will benefit most from this aid, rather than large businesses,” said Mayor Fulop. “Once we can help our lowest-income residents, we intend to methodically expand the eligibility pool further by income and to non-owner-occupied buildings.”

To broaden access to the program and ensure that it reaches those in need, landlords and social service case managers may also initiate an application for rent relief on behalf of a tenant. The rental assistance will be paid directly to the landlord or property manager.  Per federal requirements, priority households will include those who have experienced financial hardships due to COVID-19, such as reduced income, significant incurred costs, and families where at least one member has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to the application.

Eligibility requirements include the following:

• Residencia en la ciudad de Jersey
• Perdida de ingresos debido a COVID-19
• Alquiler adeudado desde abril de 2020
• Ingresos inferiores al 50% Ingresos medianos de área (AMI)
• Unidad de 2 a 4, edificios ocupados por los propietarios
• Encajo en costos o dificultades financieras inducidas por la pandemia. A principios de este año, la Administración Fulop dedicó $2.5 millones en ayuda directa a más de 1,600 familias de bajos ingresos para servicios públicos y alivio de alquiler asignado por el Fondo de Distribución de Ayuda Comunitaria COVID-19 del Alcalde y el financiamiento de la Ley CARES, donde el 95 por ciento de ese dinero de subvención proporcionó ayuda directa a los residentes de Jersey City Heights y barrios en la sección suroeste de la Ciudad. “La JCHA está encantada de trabajar estrechamente con la Ciudad para administrar esta última ronda de fondos de alivio de alquiler, que ayudará significativamente a aliviar las cargas financieras que enfrentan los residentes de bajos ingresos y los pequeños propietarios como resultado de la pandemia de COVID-19”, dijo Vivian Brady-Philips, Directora Ejecutiva de la JCHA. “Antes del período de solicitud, JCHA proporcionará información y divulgación a los inquilinos, pequeños propietarios y socios comunitarios para ayudar a los residentes de bajos ingresos a conocer y solicitar el programa”. El período de solicitud en línea para el Programa de Alivio al Rento COVID-19 de Jersey City se extenderá del martes 17 de agosto de 2021, hasta el martes 31 de agosto de 2021. Para obtener más detalles del programa y un enlace a la solicitud, visite jcnj.org/HardshipAssistance.  El período de solicitud en línea para el Programa de Alivio al Rento de la Ciudad de Jersey COVID-19 se extenderá desde el martes 17 de agosto de 2021 hasta el martes 31 de agosto de 2021. Para obtener más detalles del programa y un enlace a la solicitud, visite jcnj.org/HardshipAssistance.