The Ohio Development Services Agency is now distributing $100 million in federal funding to help low-income Ohioans who do not own their own home: pay their rent, water, sewer, wastewater, electric, gas, oil and/or trash removal bills.
 
The state of Ohio, working with local Community Action Agencies, will help eligible Ohioans on rent, mortgage, and water and/or sewer utility bills catch up on past payments back to March 13, 2020, and provide additional assistance through December 31, 2021.
 
Eligible Ohio households must:  

• Be at or below 80% of their county’s Area Median Income (varies by county and size of household);
• Have experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; and
• Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.  

The funding, which was approved by the Ohio Controlling Board for distribution, will be divided among Ohio’s 47 Community Action Agencies. Ohioans can apply for assistance by contacting their local Community Action Agency.

For more information and to find contact information for your local Community Action Agency visit: https://businesshelp.ohio.gov/home-relief-grant.html

ORWA recommends that all Water & Wastewater Utilities notify their customers with mounting bills of this opportunity to get caught up.

"The state of Ohio will allocate $50 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund from the CARES Act to 47 Community Action Agencies to help Ohioans that have experienced economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each Community Action Agency will receive a portion of the funding based on their Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) CARES Act allocation.

Ohioans who are behind on rent, mortgage, and water and/or sewer utility bills may be able to receive assistance. Assistance can be applied to outstanding rent, mortgage, water, and/or sewer bills back to April 1, 2020. Ohioans can receive monthly assistance until the program ends on December 30, 2020.

For utility bills that include more than the water or sewer services, assistance can be provided to maintain service or prevent shut off only. The Community Action Agencies will make direct payments on behalf of the applicant to the landlord, bank, or water and/or sewer company. A household can receive assistance in more than one category."

To contact your local Community Action, Bridges Community Action, please call 937-772-9164.