With a federal moratorium on housing evictions now due to expire October 3rd, officials are urging western Massachusetts residents to tap into emergency assistance programs.
Way Finders, the nonprofit through which government funding flows to help people in Hampden and Hampshire counties unable to make rent or mortgage payments due to the impacts of COVID-19, gave out $30 million to roughly 6,000 households last year.
There is a lot more money available, said Jodi Smith, Way Finder’s Senior Vice President for Housing Education Services.
“Key take-away today is resources are available,” said Smith. “We want to make sure anyone experiencing a housing crisis knows where to come.”
Smith participated in a news conference Tuesday with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and the city’s top economic development and housing officials to encourage people impacted by the pandemic to use the federal, state, and local assistance programs offered through Way Finders.
“We want to make sure people stay housed,” Smith said.
With federally-funded emergency housing assistance there is no limit on the amount of money an individual can receive, said Smith. State programs have a $10,000 cap and the city’s emergency assistance to pay rent, mortgage, or utility bills has a $4,000 limit.
Housing advocates warned that a wave of evictions would follow the expiration of the federal moratorium, which was originally expected last month, in part because money allocated for the various assistance programs has been slow to reach the people who need it.
Way Finders hired more staff last year, worked through a backlog, and can now process 400-500 applications a week with a turnaround time of four to five weeks, said Smith. She stressed it is almost never too late in the eviction or foreclosure process to apply for help.
“If you have a notice to quit, that is not the end that is the beginning of the process,” Smith said. She said Way Finders has staff in housing court to help people fill out applications for assistance to avoid eviction.
Sarno said his administration last year put $2 million into an emergency housing assistance program administered by Way Finders and he pledged more money would be available as needed.
“We want to keep you in your home,” Sarno said. “We have the availability of funds to put even more money into it for mortgages, rents, utilities and also to help out the landlords.”
Smith said she was unable to estimate how much money Way Finders currently has available for the various programs set up to help renters, landlords, and homeowners.
Applications can be filed through Way Finder’s website or in person at the organization’s offices in Springfield, Holyoke, and Northampton.
