HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Emergency Rental Assistance program will continue to help renters keep roofs over their heads until the money runs out, while the Homeowners Assistance Fund has closed, according to the program manager.
As of Jan. 31, 4,700 applications were received for the ERA II program, said Viki Lindlau, ERA program manager, who noted further, “Currently in our Cycle 6 we have received over 1,800 applications. (The) total for ERA II expenditures – we have hit $37.3 million in direct services.”
At $37.3 million spent, the ERA program is at 75% of its cap, she said.
“The good news is that (on) Jan. 10, to be exact, we sent off our request to (the) U.S. Treasury for additional funds for having reached our 75%. On Jan. 25, they did come back and approve it and the funding was already transferred to us,” Lindlau said during a meeting of the Guam Interagency Council on Homelessness.
The additional funds are needed as there are still quite a few residents who continue to need help with rent and other housing bills as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
“We still have quite a bit of applicants that are in process. In terms of our continuances, we have only like 52 applicants (who) are pending documents. So our backlog is really low. However, we have almost 500 applicants that are in continuance, which means that we’re, you know, continuing to serve them until such time that they reach their mass cap,” Lindlau said.
Looking ahead toward affordable housing, Lindlau said Department of Administration Director Edward Birn has put a policy in place for the funding.
“In line with what Treasury would have us do with the funding that we can apply towards that. Whatever we apply towards affordable housing will definitely come out of direct services, but it’s OK because if that’s what our intention is, which is what the Treasury is actually encouraging us to do, then we’ll be in line with whatever projects that are stated from Treasury, most of them under (the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority),” Lindlau said.
Funding also may go toward affordable housing through Guam Housing Corporation, she said.
“So, we’ll take a look and see what they have and whether or not we can assist with them, you know, any renovations,” Lindlau said.
As for the Homeowners Assistance Fund, that program has wrapped up, she said.
“As you recall, last year, they were like getting ready to phase out. They were just literally receiving applicants’ continuance, continuance of applicants who were already eligible in the system. As of Jan. 31, they did process the last of their applicants … and have dispersed all of their funding. … The program essentially is closed, and they will be working towards closeout with Treasury in the next couple of months,” said Lindlau.
Viki Lindlau
