Lafayette Emergency Assistance Program
March 30, 2021
Posted By:
๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ข๐ท๐ข๐ช๐ญ๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐-19 ๐ฑ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ช๐ค
Help is available to Lafayette Parish home renters struggling to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Renters can apply for aid through the Lafayette Emergency Assistance Program (LEAP), funded by the federal governmentโs Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Funds are dedicated to low-and moderate-income renter households throughout Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) has been granted $7 million to assist eligible households with paying rent and back rent (rental arrears) as well as current and missed utility payments. LCG is partnering with
Catholic Charities of Acadiana
(CCA) and
SMILE Community Action Agency
to disburse the much-needed funds.โThese funds will help create stability for our residents whoโve been suffering from the impact of the pandemic. Many of our own are unemployed or are working reduced hours, and no one should have to worry about having a roof over their heads or fear having utilities disconnected,โ Mayor-President Josh Guillory said.
Emergency funds must first be used to pay overdue rent before receiving assistance for future rent payments. Eligible households may receive up to 12 months of rental assistance or up to 12 months of overdue rental assistance, plus an additional three months if itโs determined the extra months are needed to ensure housing stability. If needed, households may reapply for additional aid at the end of the three-month period if the overall time limit of 12 months for assistance is not exceeded.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ
Eligibility is based on a renter household in which at least one or more individuals meets the following criteria:
โข Qualifies for unemployment or has had a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19
โข Demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
โข Household income must not exceed 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Lafayette Parish.
Follow this link to find income limits: https://www.huduser.gov/.../dat.../il/il2020/2020summary.odn
Priority for assistance is given to eligible households that include someone who has been unemployed for 90 days prior to application and households with income at or below 50 percent of the AMI for Lafayette Parish.
Household income is determined as either the householdโs total income for calendar year 2020 or the householdโs monthly income at the time of application. For households using monthly incomes, eligibility must be redetermined every three months.
Applications will be accepted beginning Thursday, April 1, 2021.
๐๐ข๐ช ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ
๐๐ฃ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐
โข Catholic Charities of Acadiana at catholiccharitiesacadiana.org
โข SMILE Community Action Agency smilecaa.org.
๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ค๐ฃ
โข SMILE Community Action Agency, 501 St. John Street, Lafayette, or call 337-234-3272 Ext. 200.
โข Applicants needing assistance with filling out the application can call the Lafayette Consolidated Government Human Services Division at 337-291-5450 or visit the office at 111 Shirley Picard Drive.