Fund to provide emergency, short-term assistance to vulnerable households in Adams County
WESTMINSTER, COLO. (April 16, 2020) – As part of the COVID-19 emergency response and recovery strategy, Adams County, in partnership with Maiker Housing Partners, has created the Adams County COVID-19 Short-Term Rental and Mortgage Assistance Relief Fund. This fund will provide emergency, short-term rental and mortgage assistance to households that are most vulnerable to eviction or foreclosure due to the likelihood of having little savings, suffering loss or reduction of employment, or experiencing housing instability or incurring insurmountable debt due to unpaid rent or mortgage.
The funds will be administered by Maiker Housing Partners. Applications for the fund will be accepted through the Maiker Housing Partners website.
“It is of critical importance that we keep people in their homes and ensure residents’ housing needs are met during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Commissioner Eva Henry, who is currently championing the Adams County Housing Stability Response & Recovery Team. “This fund is an extra boost to assist households that are most vulnerable to eviction or foreclosure due to a loss or reduction of employment during this time.”
The initial $300,000 in grant funding was made possible by the Adams County Foundation. Adams County is working with other community partners to secure additional funding. If you are interested in contributing to the fund, please contact Rebecca Zamora at 720-523-6991.
“The negative impact this crisis has had on our communities, and especially our most vulnerable residents, is significant and will only continue to grow,” said County Manager Raymond H. Gonzales. It is our hope this critical fund will help alleviate some of the hardships our residents are experiencing. We are committed to identifying additional opportunities for growing this fund in the short- and long-term.”
The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified applicants. Residents may be eligible to receive rental or mortgage assistance through this fund if they meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Household income has been impacted by COVID-19 on or after March 11, 2020
- Must reside in Adams County
- Household income must be below 80% AMI (area median income)
Those who are not eligible for this fund may still be eligible to receive benefits from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other federal funding sources through Maiker Housing Partners. Unlike federal funding, the Adams County Fund is available to all eligible Adams County residents.
“To honor our value of keeping our members ’Safe and Sound,’ we advocated for these dollars in partnership with the Adams County Housing Stability Response and Recovery Team,” said Peter LiFari, Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners. “We believe in people and that every person deserves a home. During this time of unprecedented crisis these values are more important than ever before, and we will continue to advocate for our members and all Adams County residents.”
“In an effort to continue providing equitable opportunities for all, the Adams County Foundation invested in this new fund to expand support available to the most vulnerable individuals and families residing in our local communities,” said Ken Ciancio, Adams County Foundation Board Chair. “It is our hope this fund will alleviate the stress of economic hardship during this time until Adams County residents may return to work or additional funds become available.”
Additional eligibility requirements to receive assistance can be found on the Maiker Housing Partners website. Each individual may apply for funding up to three times for as long as funding is available. All interested individuals must first complete an interest form on the Maiker Housing Partners website and a Maiker representative will respond within three business days.
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About Adams County Response & Recovery Efforts
As part of a COVID-19 emergency management response and recovery strategy, Adams County created seven Response & Recovery Teams and launched a new website dedicated to providing key resources to support residents and businesses. Response & Recovery focus areas include aging services, business support, childcare for critical personnel, food security and basic essentials, housing, support for the unemployed and future workforce, and uninsured and healthcare access.
About Maiker Housing Partners
Maiker Housing Partners is disrupting generational poverty through socially conscious community development in Adams County. We serve all residents of Adams County by providing access to affordable housing options and community services, and partnering with others in real estate to rehabilitate and preserve affordable homes. Every day, nearly 100 Maikers work in tandem with our members to address the systemic problems that are the root of poverty in Adams County. For more information, visit www.maikerhp.org.
