Rent Relief Opportunities for Residents Impacted by Pandemic

Renters, do you need help paying your rent because of COVID-19? Landlords, do you have renters who have struggled to pay their rent through the pandemic? The Missouri Housing Development Commission has funds that can help renters and their landlords get the rent paid for up to 12 months back to April 2020, and for up to three months in the future.

Additionally, this relief can also help renters and landlords pay for utilities including gas, electric, water, sewage/waste water, fuel and trash.

Eligibility for renters:

• Must be a resident of the State of Missouri.
• One member of the household must be financially impacted directly or indirectly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (lost job, reduced pay, incurred significant coronavirus related expenses.)
• Must be at risk of losing housing or having utilities shut off.
• Income must not exceed 80% of your area median income as determined by your county and household size.

Eligibility for landlords:

• Renter must be a resident of the State of Missouri.
• One member of the tenant's household must be financially impacted directly or indirectly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (lost job, reduced pay, incurred significant coronavirus related expenses.)
• Tenants must be at risk of losing housing or having utilities shut off.
• Tenant's household Income must not exceed 80% of your area median income as determined by your county and household size.

If you've noticed the qualifications are essentially the same, it's because they are. The difference is, either the landlord, or the tenant, can start the process of getting rent relief and getting their life back on track. In both cases the relief money is paid directly to landlord or the utility company.

Information for renters who would like to start the process can be found here. Information for landlords who would like to start the process for their tenants can be found here.

Additionally, you can find out complete information at the Missouri Housing Resources website here. This website also includes links for people who are looking for resources that can help them with utility bills and additional housing and homeless assistance services.