Rental Assistance Portal
Clay County received $3.6 million in funding from the Federal Government as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act or second stimulus for an Emergence Rental Assistance Program. Clay County was a direct recipient due to having over 200,000 residents. The County’s portion of funds is for tenants needing rental and/or utility assistance in areas OUTSIDE of Kansas City, MO. Payments go to landlords and utility providers in order to make past due bills whole and potentially cover future needs.
How Much Assistance Can I get?
If you qualify, this program can help you get caught up on all your back rent and utilities, going back to April 1, 2020. If you owe rent or utilities from before this date, this program cannot cover those costs. If you are not a resident of Clay County, Missouri, you are not eligible for this program but may be eligible for a program in the area where you live.
How Do I Qualify?
This program is for people whose income is not more than 80% of Area Median Income for your household size. For example, if your household has 4 people, you cannot have more than $68,800 in income to receive assistance from this program. Click here for a table that shows whether your household will qualify based on your income and household size.
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To qualify, you must also be experiencing a COVID-19 related financial hardship (reduced income, extraordinary expenses) and be at risk of losing your housing because you are unable to cover your rent and/or utility expenses. You must also be named on either the lease agreement or utility account(s) for which assistance is being requested.
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Use this table to determine if your household had income that will qualify you for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. When calculating your income, include all income of adults in the household. You can base your income on your current month's income X 12 months, or you can use your total income from the calendar year 2020.
What Documents Do I need to Provide?
These are the documents you should assemble for your application:
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A copy of your photo I.D.
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Your 2021 tax return or W-2 form, or two months’ worth of paycheck statements, or employer letter stating your monthly income (for all adults with income in your household)
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Documentation showing the amount of other income such as child support, spousal support or self-employment income (for all adults in your household)
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Documentation of your COVID-19 related need, such as before/after paycheck statements showing loss of income, payment of healthcare expenses, child care expenses or credit card charges to cover households expenses
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For rent assistance, a copy of your lease and notice from your landlord showing how much past due rent you owe
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For utility assistance, a copy of your utility bill that includes your name and account number and that shows the amount that you owe
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In the application form, you will need to provide the name and last four digits of the social security number for all the adults in your household (anyone 18 years or older), as well as their date of birth
What Happens Next?
The full application will be available the week of March 15th. If you complete the screening questionnaire linked to above, you will receive an email notification as soon as the application goes live so you can continue the process.
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To get ready to submit your request, you should begin assembling the documentation that the federal government requires the County to collect, to make sure you are eligible for the program. If you take time now to assemble these documents, you will be ready to get your application processed quickly.
Can My Household Submit More than One Application?
No. Only one application per household will be accepted. This means if there are two or more adults in a household, they must work together to submit a joint application. While only one application per household is allowed, you may seek assistance for more than one month’s rent and more than one utility bill.
Can I Get Help with My Application?
Yes! Clay County is partnering with community organizations who will assist with processing applications. A caseworker at one of these organizations will get in touch with you to ensure your application is complete and—if you are eligible for assistance—they will work with your landlord and utility companies to process payments on your behalf.
Because a high number of applications is expected, it will take several weeks to process an application.
We ask your patience as we implement this new program!
If your need is urgent and you are looking for a community resource right now—or if you need help with another need not related to rent and utility assistance, please contact the United Way 211 information and referral program by dialing 2-1-1 or by calling 816-474-5112, to speak with a caring community resource navigator.