After renters and landlords complained that rental assistance payments never arrived, one lawmaker is asking why.CLEVELAND, Ohio –
“The need for rental assistance in Cleveland has always been there. [Federal] covid relief dollars were kind of a gift, but sorely needed,” CHN’s Laura Boustani told a City Council committee on Monday, adding: “This is probably what we always needed in this town and never had.” Under the new city program, CHN would help residents on the front-end, by paying for security deposits and the first three months’ rent. Eligibility would be limited to those making 80% or less of area median income.
It could also include linking renters directly with suitable landlords. Boustani said CHN learned much during the pandemic, when it was coordinating and deploying tens of millions of dollars in federal rental assistance. That effort put CHN in touch with landlords across the city, and it’s now armed with a robust database of landlords and rental properties, Boustani said. CHN wants to leverage those relationships now, to help match tenants with quality rentals.
If problems between the renter and landlord later break out, CHN could offer guidance about how to place rent into escrow, or other helpful tools for tenants, Holzer said.
How about Property Tax assistance?