The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners at its Sept. 7 meeting took a step to make it easier for renters experiencing financial difficulty due to COVID-19 to receive funds, according to a press release. The U.S. Treasury set forth qualification parameters for applicants to get assistance, however, it recently began allowing local governments to permit self-attestation forms for verification.
Falecia Stewart, vice president of housing at MUST Ministries, presented new information on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.. Earlier this year, the Board of Commissioners contracted with MUST Ministries to administer the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
She told Commissioners that out of the $4.5 million allocated to MUST Ministries for emergency rental assistance, about $1.025 million has been dispersed to Cherokee County residents. Out of the 567 applications received, 51 have been reviewed, approved and are awaiting payment processing, 259 have been completed and payment processed, 122 were incomplete and 135 were denied.
Stewart said one of the main reasons applications are denied is because the applicant cannot document the hardship.
Residents can apply for ERAP funding at www.mustministries.org/cherokee-co.
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