Gov. Andy Beshear announced the launch of the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund website to help both tenants and landlords stay afloat amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. To apply for assistance log on to http://teamkyhherf.ky.gov.$15 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act money is being used to fund the Eviction Relief Fund.
Beshear released a statement saying “As we continue to wage this battle against COVID-19, we must make sure renters have a home so they can be Healthy at Home, while also safeguarding landlords against undue financial hardship. When we come out of this global health crisis, we don’t want Kentuckians facing such insurmountable debt from their housing situation that they are unable to recover. This program will provide some much-needed relief to eligible tenants and property owners during these unprecedented times.”
The Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Funda allows:
- Eligible landlords to be reimbursed for missed rent payments and receive some advance rent payments to keep tenants in their homes;
- Eligible tenants to receive up to 90 percent of past-due rent and may also cover up to two months of future rent;
- For payments made directly to eligible landlords; and
- Kentuckians to submit applications beginning today, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.
Last Friday the Governor updated Kentucky’s executive order on evictions to reflect the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s moratorium on residential evictions through Dec. 31. Beshear initially suspended evictions on March 25th.
Under the CDC order, a tenant who signs and submits a declaration to his or her landlord about the inability to timely pay rent cannot be evicted. However, the declaration is required in order to prevent an eviction. Like the Governor’s prior executive orders on evictions, the CDC order does not relieve anyone of the obligation to pay rent or comply with any other obligation under a tenancy, lease or similar contract. The CDC order allows landlords to charge and collect fees, penalties and interest for failure to timely pay rent, but prohibits evictions for nonpayment or late payment of such fees, penalties or interest.
If you need assistance paying rent or other bills, you can also apply for help from the Team Kentucky Fund. Click here for assistance https://teamkyfund.ky.gov/
Kentuckians seeking legal assistance can contact the Kentucky COVID-19 Legal Helpline toll-free: 833-540-0342 or click here for assistance https://www.kycovidlegalhelp.org/
Lawyers who want to volunteer to provide direct legal assistance to Kentuckians in need during the pandemic can visit https://www.togetherlawyerscan.org/