New guidelines may make it easier for SC renters to get COVID aid. Here’s how to apply
SC Housing, the state agency tasked with doling out $272 million in COVID rental assistance, announced on Tuesday a set of changes that officials hope will speed up distribution of those funds ahead of a Sept 30 deadline.
Updates to the program include:
Less stringent documentation requirements.
Additional staff and hours added to the agency’s call center.
Additional in person support available at the Beaufort Branch Library, the Lancaster County Library and Hampton Memorial Library in Easley.
“We will continue to look for additional ways to support our family, friends and neighbors to help them stay safely in their homes during this difficult time,” said Bonita Shropshire, the agency’s executive director.
In April, the state legislature passed a bill that put SC Housing in charge of distributing federal rent relief to tenants in the state’s 39 smaller counties. That bill also states that SC Housing must authorize all the funds by Sept. 30.
So far, 12,800 applications have been submitted but only 2,205 households have been assisted and $10.4 million has been paid out, according to SC Housing spokesperson Chris Winston.
Winston said agency officials have already seen a vast improvement in the number of applications being approved since they first started relaxing the program guidelines in July.
“We’ve been able to move forward a ton of applications just by looking for other ways for people to show they meet that income threshold,” Winston said.
For instance, the agency identified more than 100 economically depressed zip codes in the state and automatically moved forward applicants from those areas. Applicants who received other forms of assistance, including food stamps, were also automatically deemed eligible.
To qualify, renters must:
Have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19
Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Make less than 80% of the area median income
Applicants will be asked to provide the following materials:
A form of identification
A signed lease or other document that shows you have agreed to make rent payments
Proof of income such as 2020 tax returns or recent pay stubs.
For more information on the program, visit the SC Housing website or call 800-476-0412.
