Acceptance, expenditure of Emergency Rent Assistance Program Grant approved by committee

During today’s meeting of the Community, Economic and Development Committee (Wednesday, January 27), the committee recommended approval of file #201316 – a substitute resolution relating to the application, acceptance, and expenditure of the Emergency Rent Assistance Program Grant from the United States Treasury Department. The file, sponsored by Common Council President Cavalier Johnson, will provide $17.64 million in funding to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will operate through December 31, 2021. Co-sponsors of the file include Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II and Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt residents’ economic health in addition to their physical health, and this grant will help support those who have struggled for months to pay their rent and other related costs,” said President Johnson. “I want to thank the federal government for acting swiftly on this matter so those in the greatest need can ensure their homes are stabilized.”

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program Grant provides funds for the payment of rent, rental arrears, utilities and home energy costs, and utility and home energy cost arrears on behalf of eligible households, as well as housing stability services, including case management and other services intended to keep households stably housed, and administrative costs. The program will be administered in partnership with the Social Development Commission.

The file will be before the full Common Council for adoption at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, February 9th at 9 a.m. The meeting will be televised live on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and via streaming video on the city website at city.milwaukee.gov/Channel25.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.