More COVID rent aid is coming to SC’s largest counties. What tenants should know
Residents of Richland and Charleston counties who have fallen behind on rent because of COVID-19 may have access to millions in additional funds to help them pay off their debts.
On Friday, Jan. 8, the U.S. Treasury approved a request from SC Housing to reallocate $32 million from its statewide rent assistance program to the two countywide programs. Richland will receive $22 million and Charleston will receive $10 million.
Since June, Richland and Charleston counties have each received roughly $22 million from the U.S Treasury to help renters impacted by the pandemic. Both counties have depleted most of those funds and have stopped accepting new applications.
Meanwhile, as of Dec. 29, SC Housing had more than $206 million in available funds. But residents of Richland, Charleston and the five other counties with their own rent assistance programs were not eligible for that statewide program.
Chris Winston, spokesman for SC Housing, explained that the countywide programs received less money per capita from the U.S. Treasury than the statewide program.
“Counties with higher rent numbers (Charleston and Richland) moved through their funds more quickly,” he said, “While South Carolina, with one of the nation’s highest rates of homeownership, had additional funding that could be shared to ensure all South Carolina residents had access to the federal funds.”
Winston said his agency sent a letter requesting the transfer of funds in early December and the request was approved on Friday. The agency is wiring the money back to the treasury this week.
It is still unclear how quickly that money will be redistributed to the counties and if or when the counties reopen applications for rent assistance .
Taylor Green, spokeswoman for Charleston County, said the additional $10,000 from SC Housing could be used to help 1,500 more households.
Richland County did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
