Westmoreland County gets $12.9 million for emergency rental aid for needy

Westmoreland County residents who are behind on their rent and facing possible eviction or unable to pay huge heating bills and fearing a utility shutoff can seek help through a $12.9 million federally funded program for emergency rental aid.

“We’re seeing an increase in demand for rental assistance across the board. We know people have still not recovered (financially). We’re seeing a large amount of people who are so far behind in their rent and utilities,” said Daniel Carney, executive director of the Union Mission of Latrobe Inc.

The county commissioners on Friday approved an agreement with the Union Mission, which will administer the county’s grant that was part of the federal relief package Congress passed in late December.

The county was allocated $12.9 million under a formula determined by the U.S. Department of Treasury, based on the county’s population of about 350,000 people, Carney said.

The money can be applied to bills retroactive to March 2020 and must be allocated by the end of the year. It must be earmarked by Sept. 30, the end of the current federal fiscal year.

“The hope is to help people who have been struggling since the original CARES Act,” which was passed in late March 2020. A second round of funding for covid relief was approved in December.

Families can receive up to 12 months of assistance, with possibly an additional three months after evaluation of the applicant’s circumstances, Carney said.

“Our priority is to get people caught up,” with their rent and utility bills, Carney said.

Households eligible for the assistance are those with at least one person who qualifies for unemployment compensation or has had their household income cut, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to covid; has a household income at or below 80% of the area median income; or is at risk of being homeless or is in risk of an unstable housing situation, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

To get the word out that rental assistance is available, Union Mission has a plan to blanket the community with notices, as well as use social media and traditional media, such as newspapers.

Union Mission plans to place fliers in the boxes of food distributed through the extensive network of food pantries, give notices to social service agencies, churches, faith communities and even the offices of district judges, where those who have been served an eviction notice could see them.

A computer software company is developing a program where those seeking aid can apply online, without ever leaving their home, Carney said. He anticipates it will be available in early April.

For those who don’t have access to a computer, Carney said they will send representatives into the community to assist people in applying for the aid.

Ordinarily, Union Mission provides shelter and other services to the homeless.

Carney, who has headed the Union Mission for 17 years, anticipates all of the money will be allocated by the end of the year.

“There is an increase in need (for rental assistance) and a deeper need,” Carney said.