Mississippi Home Corporation is administering a federal emergency rental assistance program tasked with allocating $186 million in aid. Tenants who are behind on their rent due to lost income, unemployment or increased expenses because of the pandemic are eligible to apply. Scott Spivey is the executive director.
“Part of rolling out a program like this is making sure that every eligible family, every eligible Mississippian knows that there’s assistance available and applies for the assistance. There’s enough money in place to cover the back rent and back utilities that people have experienced. If there qualify based on income and hardship we want them to apply,” said Spivey.
Spivey says the Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program or RAMP, covers up to 15 months of past due rent and utility bills dating back to March of 2020. Applicants must earn 80 percent of the average income in their county and Spivey says every county is different. A single person in Hinds County making up to $39,700 would be eligible. Jennifer Welch owns Belhaven Residential which leases 430 apartments and homes in Jackson. She hopes the program will stabilize the housing market.
“It’s important that there be assistance available to the tenant to be able to satisfy the debt that they owe their landlord. A lot of landlords they’re mom and pop businesses too. You know we’re struggling just like restaurants are or any other service industry. There’s a crisis here,” said Welch.
Spivey says tenants must acknowledge an application submitted by a landlord. So far, they’ve received more than 7,000 applications and he hopes they receive many more. To apply for rental assistance go to ms-ramp.com
