Indiana is expanding its help for Hoosiers struggling with their rent payments during the pandemic, as the ban on evictions comes to an end. Governor Holcomb announced Wednesday that the state is adding another $15 million to its COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program.
It was initially funded to help about 12,000 households, but the number of applications was more than double that, according to Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Executive Director Jacob Sipe. “When we opened up the portal on July 13, clearly, there was a huge volume of applications that we received, actually just over 8,000 applications [on the first day],” Sipe said during Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing.
The COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program lets renters who’ve lost income because of the pandemic apply for up to $500 a month for four months, to help with past or ongoing rent payments. Qualifying renters can apply at IndianaHousingNow.org.
Meanwhile, Governor Holcomb said he plans to let the moratoriums on evictions, foreclosures, and utility shutoffs expire on August 14. But the state’s working on a new “settlement facilitation program” for eviction disputes, according to Governor’s Office General Counsel Joe Heerens. “The tenant and landlord will meet with a neutral person, who is trained to help them resolve their disputes voluntarily, instead of it being decided by a judge,” Heerens explained. “If the tenant and landlord come to an agreement, that ends the dispute without the need for additional court hearings or trials. This can be an effective and, frankly, less onerous way to resolve disputes, and it oftentimes has the added benefit of preserving the existing relationship between the two parties.”
That option has already been available for foreclosure disputes for about a decade. The program is being developed by the Indiana Office of Judicial Administration and will be available at no cost to tenants and landlords. More details are expected in the coming weeks.
