Learn More. OUR Florida has put me back on track as my family recovers. Aidaliz, Tenant, Winter Park, "I thought all was lost until I was approached about the OUR Florida program. Any one of the following documents can be used to provide proof of identification: Any one of the following documents can be used to provide proof of a living arrangement: If no lease or attestation by the landlord is available, the renter must demonstrate a minimum pattern of three months of rent payments (such as cancelled checks or bank statements that identify the landlord and purpose of payments). All I wanted was for OUR Florida to come through and help me out.. Tenants in Florida do not have much time to work with when they fall behind on rent. All funds must be returned in the form of checks and must be accompanied by a note indicating the following: If you are a tenant and assistance is being provided to a landlord or utility company on your behalf the assistance is not considered income. We currently administers 3,026 public housing units and 10,235 Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8). I even just found out that Im pregnant because I passed out in the kitchen because I have no electricity and its so hot in here. Our grace with landlord is going to run out soon. I know people who have filed since earlier like in Feb or March and still haven't gotten their taxes yet. Both the state and city or county programs operate under similar eligibility requirements. No one seems to know anything. She showed us the box of medicine she now keeps next to her bed, Just in case we have to go, she said. Please continue to monitor your portal for status updates on your application. The department of children and families governs it. In addition to the above, the following FAQ is also recommended to address the appropriate process landlord must apply when they are returning rental assistance payments to OUR Florida. If the program worked right, its excellent, Rocco said. Applicants are highly encouraged to gather all required . Eligible Florida renters are entitled up to 15 months of rent and utility payments. Landlord/Tenant Law in Florida - Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Landlords cannot wait three and four months and get the runaround, not knowing if (the moneys) even coming in, Rocco said. Mines didnt even wait for three days as instantly the late fees etc started showing up although they can see that I had applied as they sent in an application on my behalf. Income will be verified through other sources. People worry about eviction since rental assistance is a no show - WTLV A request for reconsideration must be submitted in writing and received within ten (10) business days of the date of notice of program determination. Since 1994, Jacksonville Housing has provided housing assistance for families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Nassau counties. It is kind of weird because when I was approved for utilities I got the notice on my portal as well as an email. From April 21 through April 27, OUR Florida approved 3,883 applications and obligated more than $31.7 million in relief to families behind on rent and utilities payments. Can I file an application on behalf of my tenant? This is a list of the 41 certified domestic violence centers by county with 24-hour crisis lines and supportive services, including housing and economic empowerment. If OUR Florida could connect with us with legal aid, with the communities to say here's the person to call, here are the five people that will answer your questions. The application can be submitted by either the landlord or eligible household member. I am paid for my job in cash. Im a single mom of 2 as well. 2019 - Wait can my landlord REALLY do that Maybe not All states give renters rights Non discrimination quiet . She tried reaching out to OUR Florida for a timeline but said she couldnt get ahold of anyone. OUR Florida emergency rental assistance program receives - WFTS While shes gotten close a couple of times, nothing has panned out yet. For other Counties, check out our webpage for the Florida Legal Aid Eviction Prevention Project. OUR Florida came at the perfect time. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. I have submitted EVERYTHING required and every other week I get a generic email stating "we need a financial hardship letter from your employer" each time I call our Florida and tell them I'm on unemployment and that I have submit my approval letter. I dont know why landlords wouldnt want to work with it, because youve got guaranteed rent coming in on time, every month.. Most states have lifted their . Funding Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity The agency told us in an email: "DCF received $871 million as part of the ERA program to administer statewide. When counting the 3 day notice period, do not include the first day of service, weekends or . Maybe they keep sending me the wrong email stating I need to have a letter for my employer but they actually need my bank statements. To get that protection, you'll need to attest on a declaration form that you meet a few requirements, such as that you earned less than $99,000 in 2020 or 2021. An I-Team investigation revealed renters being evicted while waiting on a slice of the $870 million allocated to the DCF's Our Florida program to help pandem. I tried a reconsideration and it was denied and I was told to wait for the email. Earn an income at or below 80% of the areas median income, Be unemployed, have experienced a loss of income or financial hardship during the last year, and. I was told to get the quickest turn around time is to ensure your landlord does their part when u do yoursI submitted everything that was required and called n spoke with a few different reps that were helpful and gave me specific info and notes that were on my account so I would provide exactly whats needed. },:$o6Wb_Yb/9dQhF)[ ru{uYv^3*xLR\i7 veLn)5eAt)@U:u4:ZRumK7 FR|_4KZ1RwwW5.W?JlZQG,h1lBJ^@j{w%{06[jjwRp` For a household with an AMI of more than 50% but less than 80% AMI: Total cost incurred must be greater than or equal to $800. Can we find out if it was cashed? OUR Florida, which stands for Opportunities for Utilities and Rental Assistance, provides relief on rent and utilities for families who were affected by the public health emergency. stream Funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to ESS Office on Homelessness. Their directions such. Application in Eligibility Review . My team tries to reach out to representatives at OUR Florida, we do not get any email responses, Roberg exclaimed, We have sent clients to the in-person offices that are allegedly available for in-person assistance, and our clients tell us that they get sent from the Largo office to the Tampa office or the Tampa office, they're told to call to you know, the online help number. At that point, the landlord will review everything else included in your rental applicationthings like tax returns, pay stubs, government identification, and any letters of recommendation. I also took a couple of days. OUR Florida chaos - News 13 They were made out to Roccos LLC, not Rocco herself or her tenant. View our YouTube Video demonstrating the registration process. I drove 2.5 hours to Tallahassee to try and sort it out. I'm depending on them for my life right now.. ACCESS Florida provides an application for Food Assistance, Cash Assistance, and Medicaid, and allows applicants to view or update their case, make changes, and receive updates about their application from DCF. Earn an income at or below 80% of the areas median income (AMI). To be eligible for benefits, renters must: As of July 13, 2021, OUR Florida has paid more than $3.9 million in rental or utility assistance to 869 individuals with an additional $24 million obligated to more than 7,030 clients approved as eligible for assistance, which is anticipated to be disbursed by the end of the month. It was a painful submission process but the approval came through in about two weeks (just before I was evicted thank God!). Here I was thinking that QC was a separate entity on the approval line.i was wrong. In Florida, landlords can legally reject an application that doesn't meet their criteria such as bad references, a s I even spoke to a supervisor. Looking at the bills, she knew the September rent was going to be hard, so she applied for emergency rental assistance with both Pinellas County and the state's Department Of Children and Families OUR Florida. Landlords/Property Managers | Our Florida Thats our system, Bisono said. More than $1.19 billion has been obligated to support families with past due rent and utilities. Housing costs exceed 50% of the current household income. On the contrary, for many, ERA funds have moved at a sluggish pace, failing to protect people from housing instability and financial hardship. The Emergency Solutions Grant provides funding for emergency services to individuals and families who are homeless or facing homelessness. I have always complied with the landlord and (paid) the rent, at times I will pay the rent ahead of time, Bisono wrote. HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income tenants. They keep asking me for information they already have Just seems like it should be illegal how they are handling everything. Can landlords refuse to take your Our Florida rental payment OUR Florida has been my lifeline during such a challenging time in my life. Marvel, Tenant, Orlando, As a single mother, after I lost my marketing job during the pandemic, I was extremely worried about how I would pay for my rent. To apply, contact or visit the management office of each apartment building that interests you. Applicants who reside in subsidized housing, such as Low-Income Housing Credit, Public Housing, or Indian Housing Block Grant-assisted housing are eligible for the tenant-owed portion of rent, if the household has not or will not be reimbursed funds by another federal assistance program. I had to resubmit stuff too and then have to wait weeks until they got to it again. Eligible households may receive up to $3,500 per month in combined rent and utility assistance for a maximum of 18 months or a total of $63,000 in benefits paid. Utility and/or home energy arrearages may cover a period equal to or less than twelve (12) months and must only be paid in arrears. Did you get funded yet I was approved too but my landlord or I Havent receive any fund, You call the phone number on the website. To learn more about eligibility, required documentation, and how to apply, visitOURFlorida.com. I went on ourflorida submitted a complaint today and was approved later tonight ----I hope this helps, on the main page under application assistance. Florida tenants continue to wait for desperately needed help from the Our Florida program. Client applications will be processed on a first approved, first funded basis. Are at risk of losing your home, experiencing housing instability or are living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions. Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Frequently Asked - Arizona If we have to go, we have to go, she said. Its been over a month and a half and every time I reach out to OUR Florida and the client reaches out to find out, you know, can we get a check number? Every tenant application must be reviewed by a case manager, as well as a member of our Quality Team before a decision is made regarding assistance. Wow and your landlord waited for two months. How will OUR Florida ensure that applicants have not received assistance from other entities to help pay rent and utilities? I need help this is so embarrassing. Tenants can contact Orange County Government Information Help Line by dialing 407-836-3111 or 311 for more information regarding the Orange County COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program. What They Are Saying: OUR Florida Rental Assistance Program Our Florida I feel is just a sham. Apply for Housing and Section 8 - Miami-Dade Thank you but which in turn turns out to be another broken so called helping system. They are overwhelmed. How can an applicant make a request for reconsideration? If you live in other parts of Tampa Bay, click here to connect with Bay Area Legal Services. The application process for the program is now closed, but the program is. In other jurisdictions like New York and Pennsylvania, tenants have 30 days to respond after their landlord notifies them theyre behind. Without this program, I would be in a very bad spot, homeless, or without utilities. Application Under QC Review Assistance is prioritized to households with incomes less than 50% of the area median income and households with one or more members that have been unemployed for at least 90 days. Our Florida again : FloridaUnemployment - reddit The state of Florida promised her help with rent. Then she was evicted. Visit the Manatee County ERA Ambassador located at Gulfcoast Legal Services Bradenton Office, 1112 Manatee Ave E. on the Second Floor. Receive a detailed news briefing each morning and evening along with our Attractions Insider briefing on Fridays on our app, Josephine Bisono organizes some of her belongings on the day before Thanksgiving, as she prepares to be evicted from her Orange County condo. Hello, The check is made out to my rental property management, not the landlord themselves. 2 Bedroom Apartment 2901 Beachwood Blvd in Jacksonville, FL I then received a 3-day notice with late fees, and submitted that directly to my case worker. Assisted & Public Housing. Rent your home, apartment, or other residential dwelling in Florida Earn an income at or below 80% of the areas median income (AMI). Hi don't know if this happened to anyone else in this program. She escalated. A place for users of Florida's unemployment/reemployment assistance program to share information and tips about how to use and proceed through the arcane and confusing Florida assistance system. She currently has 15 clients waiting on thousands of dollars from OUR Florida. I'm a single, unemployed for no fault of my own, mother of 2 kids. Another thing she mentioned was that the whole landlord "approval " just meant that the landlord had been approved to submit an application on the tenant. Floridas federally-funded emergency rental assistance relief program to support residents and businesses as they continue to recover and rebuild. It should be illegal how each county is handling this money.. the www.ourflorida.com is no better. I know, it's so convenient to use the epidemic as an excuse for people/companies not doing their jobs (or flat out just caring about other human beings), but when unforseen events happen, rarely do they have empathy for someone. These services include rapid rehousing and rental and utility assistance. I dont receive pay stubs. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. I completed the recertification After the last rent payment was completed in October and requested more months. OUR Florida rental assistance program permanently ends on Friday - WESH TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Floridians who have received rent and utilities assistance through OUR Florida, the federally-funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program operated by the Department of Children and Families, share their stories of rebound and recovery. May 17th I applied. Determination of rent amounts must be determined by a current lease, signed by the applicant and the landlord or sublessor, that identifies the unit where the applicant resides and establishes the rental payment amount where possible. Applicants receiving assistance through a city or county program are not eligible to receive the same benefits through OUR Florida. Florida spent less than 3% of $870 million allocated for landlords An I-Team investigation revealed renters being evicted while waiting on a slice of the $870 million allocated to the DCF's. SMH. How are applications prioritized within the program? The programs are administered at state and local levels; OUR Florida was contracted by Floridas Department of Children and Families. apartment 4 5 months in advance, wait can my landlord really do that maybe not all states give renters rights non March 3, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. At the intersection of Colorado lawmakers' debate over renters' rights are landlords like Page Pulver and tenants like Trudy Carra-deSalero. Nobody knows whats going on its really upsetting that you cant get anybody (at OUR Florida) to respond to you.. I'm just curious if anyone else has tried getting the "Our Florida" assistance. And here I am with no rental assistance even though I definitely qualify. We are in receipt of your complaint requesting a status update on your application. I've been waiting since May. our florida waiting for landlord status; 29 Jun 22; ricotta cheese factory in melbourne; our florida waiting for landlord statusis sonny barger still alive in 2020 Category: . endobj What is the timeframe for an applicant to make a request for reconsideration? We ask for your continued patience at this time. Below are pro-bono options. At the moment, I am going through some hardship and I am behind the rent., In her answer, Bisono went on to raise what Acosta Palmer calls a good faith defense, which he and his legal aid colleagues encourage: she summarized the efforts shed made to get OUR Florida assistance, explaining shed applied the previous month. All my stuff is going be put out after the 4th of august Im going through so much and Im only 24. Each adult household member who reports cash income must submit a signed self-attestation of cash income. Whats beyond frustrating is theres no way yo speak to a human being no matter who you call during this process! But upon speaking with a very rude rep who was yelling at me for trying to comprehend their messed up system. How can a tenant or landlord return rental assistance funds/checks? As money began to run out, I realized I was facing eviction and was worried how I would make ends meet. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. ORLANDO, Fla. - As concern grows over whether Florida's low-income renters are receiving the Emergency Rental Assistance funds they need, changes are happening at the state and local level to. As Colorado Democrats advance eviction protections, landlords and By that point, Florida had only committed 21% of the funds available through OUR Florida, according toa National Low Income Housing Coalition report. It's like no one cares. At the time that Pinellas County was going to send me a check, they saw that OUR Florida was sending me a check out, so Pinellas County canceled it, Pasko explained. Call 800-569-4287 or find a housing counselor Know your rights You may have additional rights such as: Debt collection rights Right to report a bad landlord Right to report housing discrimination Right to stay in your home as a survivor of domestic violence Know your tenant and debt collection rights Page last modified: July 1, 2022 If you are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, you may access your local continuum of care for additional resources. I'm losing hope in all this. Expired rent or lease agreement and proof of ongoing rent such as: Attestation by the landlord of an agreement to rent and payments made accompanied by: Treatment for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency; Costs for relocation due to financial or health circumstances; Purchases to support remote work or school; The calculated household income is less than 30% of the AMI. Our fl says could take awhile to get paid. For nonpayment of rent, the Florida eviction notice is a 3-Day Eviction Notice (see Florida Statutes 83.56 (3) and 83.595 regarding nonpayment of rent). How do I provide proof that I lost income due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency? But waiting was not something Bisonos landlord was willing to do. This last time I submit a letter but it wasn't from my employer. She read that to ABC Action News on November 23. My rent is higher than the maximum payment for eligible households. (Since this was told 2 days ago I already have two late fees added to my account) guess there is some type of miscommunication somewhere. Eligible renters can qualify for 12 months of past-due rent and utilities and three months of future payments if their financial situation does not improve. Well, Monday I got the email, and now I'm just waiting for the check. Check your waitlist status by calling 850-210-1486. Thank you I will try to see if anyone is near me and see if I can go in person. That includes rent for the month of December. If any additional information is needed from you, your case manager will request it via the OUR Florida Portal. OUR Florida has paid out $23.2 million to 5,403 households.. If both funding allocations for that county are exhausted, clients must be placed on a waiting list. ?zqYS?D1)cNF&hB!iDE3**zT~=G9Vq!~. I see the commercial for it every day but I don't know anyone who has actually been granted any help. It's the caseworker who removes the statuses and updates the portal accordingly. OUR Florida told Rocco it would take 90 days to reissue the checks. So u been approved and still the check is taking forever. More than 1,300 people belong toa Facebook groupcreated for users to share their experiences with the program, and while triumphant posts do occasionally appear, most are stories of sorrow and frustration, as landlords and tenants alike grapple with long wait times and inconsistent information from staff. Complete applications that match registered landlords can be processed and verified in as little as 18 days. Press J to jump to the feed. Please allow up to two weeks for this payment to be processed." My 12 month lease ended February 28 2020. Recover St Lucie I applied 4 months ago. Waiting for Landlord to contact me (apartments, lease, tenants, rental) - Renting -Apartments, houses, lease, tenant, landlord, agreements, termination - City-Data Forum Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Browse details, get pricing and contact the owner. DHS issued immigration identification/documents, including employment authorization document (EAD), documentation of lawful permanent residency including i-551, or i-94, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, foreign passport with a valid unexpired us visa. Our Florida FHA programs assisted nearly 2 million homeowners stay in their homes, including 165,800 in Florida. I applied almost a month now, I live in an apartment complex and spoke with my Leasing office they did their portion last week and notified me. Blah blah.. it's been months! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. You can also call Florida Bar lawyer referral at (800) 342- 8011 or locally to the Orange County Bar association lawyer referral at (407) 422-4551 for lease issues. It was from me saying "I am unemployed and have proven this time and time again to you people, if I get this email one more time and you do not process my application I will go to the news and contact anyone who will listen. Timelines may differ if an alternate payment method is requested, or additional documentation is required for program verification. CLEARWATER, Fla. Residential evictions continue to increase in Tampa Bay, but some of these evictions are happening while residents are waiting for emergency rental assistance from programs like OUR Florida. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Arrearages owed in the name of the primary applicant for expenses after April 1, 2020 on a different property may be included. How Long Does It Take to Approve a Rental Application? I am a landlord. You can check your application status by logging into your account at this link.