The new stimulus bill provides billions of dollars in rental and utility assistance to people who are struggling and in danger of being evicted from their homes.

Nearly $22 billion will go toward emergency rental assistance. The vast majority of it replenishes the so-called Coronavirus Relief Fund, created by the CARES Act and distributed through state, local and tribal governments, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

That’s on top of the $25 billion in assistance provided by the relief package passed in December.

To receive financial assistance — which could be used for rent, utilities and other housing expenses — households have to meet several conditions.

• Household income cannot exceed 80 percent of the area median income,
• at least one household member must be at risk of homelessness or housing instability, and
• individuals have to qualify for unemployment benefits or have experienced financial hardship (directly or indirectly) because of the pandemic.
• Lower-income families that have been unemployed for three months or more will be given priority for assistance.

Is there anything for homeowners?

The bill provides nearly $10 billion to help homeowners struggling with mortgage payments, utility bills and other housing costs.

Roughly $100 million will be dedicated to housing counseling, which will help both homeowners and renters remain in their homes.

How about homeless people?

About $5 billion will be allocated to help the homeless, including the conversion of properties like motels into shelters.

Another $5 billion will be used for emergency housing vouchers to help several groups of people — from the homeless to people at risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence — find stable housing.

Source: New York Times, March 11, 2021.