Kansans struggling to cover rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic may qualify for up to 12 months of emergency assistance, thanks to federal relief.

In a news release, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) and the City of Wichita announced that the initiative, funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 provides Kansas with $200 million to support housing stability and prevent evictions and homelessness.

The KHRC and the City of Wichita are administering the funds.

“Home has never been more important,” said Ryan Vincent, KHRC Executive Director. “Home has always been a place of shelter, but in the midst of the pandemic it’s also become our virtual workplace, classroom, and gathering space. Rental assistance protects Kansans’ access to home when they need it most.”

In what she called “unprecedented times of hardship,” City of Wichita Director of Housing and Community Services Sally Stang said “it’s imperative that we step up to provide security to those in need.”

Tenants may qualify for the federal assistance if they earn no more than 80 percent of their area’s median income, are experiencing documented financial hardship as a result of the pandemic and could be at risk of housing instability or homelessness without assistance.

Wichita residents can apply for assistance through the Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance Program (WERAP) administered by the city’s Housing and Community Services division, the city explained. 

Here is a helpful pamphlet prepared by the Kansas Bar Association with education about your legal rights in eviction.