City of Miramar Announces $296,000 Rent and Utility Assistance Fund to Help Residents Affected By Covid-19

MIRAMAR, FL – The City of Miramar today announced an Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program, which will provide one-time rental and utility assistance to income-eligible City of Miramar households that suffered job loss or pay-cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will provide relief payments of up to $7,000 per household to help cover a maximum of three months past due rent and utility costs. This assistance does not need to be repaid by the qualifying residents.

The Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program is open to City of Miramar residents only who earn up to 80 percent of area median income based on household size, as determined by the chart below.

“COVID-19 has greatly impacted many of our residents and some are having difficulty covering their basic needs which include paying the monthly rent and utility bills,” said Mayor Wayne Messam. “This program will help our residents who are most in need and priority will be given to special needs households,” he continued.

The following are details on who may apply for the Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program and how to apply:

• Applicants must reside within the City of Miramar, no exceptions.
• Applicants must be qualified as Extremely Low, Very Low or Low-Income residents of the City of Miramar.
• Apply starting Friday,May 22, 2020.
• Applications can be downloaded at MiramarFL.gov/CovidRentalAssistance or by calling Community Redevelopment Associates of Florida at 954-431-7866 Ext: 110 to have an application mailed.
• Residents with limited or no internet access should call the City of Miramar’s Community Services Department at 954-889-2719 for assistance.

The program’s funding will come from the City’s reallocation of Florida’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds. The one-time assistance does not have to be repaid and the program will be administered by the City’s Community Development Department.

To keep up with the latest information related to COVID-19 in the City of Miramar and to view a list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program, visit MiramarFL.gov/coronavirus.