Christine Hunsinger is the chief strategy and innovation officer for the R.I. Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp. She explained what the new RentReliefRI program can do for landlords and tenants when the tenant has fallen behind on either utilities or rent.
PBN: Explain briefly what Rent Relief RI is and who is eligible.
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HUNSINGER: Funded via $200 million in federal funding from the U.S. Treasury, RentReliefRI is a new program to help Rhode Island renters with their rental and utility payments. RentReliefRI is available to eligible Rhode Island renters negatively impacted by the unprecedented loss of jobs and income due to COVID-19. The program also helps landlords who have struggled to make their mortgage payments due to lack of rental payments from tenants.
PBN: Can the program be used for future rent or utility bills, or only past-due bills?
HUNSINGER: The program can pay for rent and some utilities owed back to April 1, 2020. The program will also cover the security deposit and up to three months of upcoming rent. At the point of initial approval, the tenant is eligible to also be approved for three months of forward-facing rent. Tenants are eligible for a total of 18 months assistance combined arrearage and forward-facing rent.
Applicants may apply for help with paying for past utilities even if they do not need help paying for rent. Utilities include electricity, water, trash and heat. Applicants are eligible for up to a total of 18 months of utility assistance.
PBN: What is a common misconception that people have about the program?
HUNSINGER: I think some renters may be hesitant to apply if they’ve never received any form of federal or state assistance. This program isn’t just for renters who may reside in affordable-housing developments. As long as you meet the eligibility criteria and are a Rhode Island renter, we encourage you to check out the program and apply. We want to help as many Rhode Islanders as possible remain in their homes and get back on their feet.
PBN: Gov. Daniel J. McKee recently said he didn’t think enough people were aware of the program. How are you advertising the program or otherwise spreading the word about it?
HUNSINGER: We’re employing a multipronged approach to outreach and advertising. We’re working to blanket the state with advertisements, including ads on the exterior and interior of RIPTA buses; radio spots on English-, Spanish- and Portuguese-language radio stations; advertisements in local newspapers and social media as well.
We also recently held a program launch with Senator Jack Reed, Governor McKee and Lt. Governor Sabina Matos to help spread the word. And we’re working on public service announcements, a series of in-person events and outreach activities that will soon be rolled out.
We are also working through a variety of partner organizations who are helping us with grassroots outreach in their respective communities. National Grid is sending out program information to their customers and many other organizations have been sharing information on their websites and social media as well. These outreach activities will be ongoing throughout the course of the program.
PBN: How many people are now applying each week, and can the staff keep up with this pace?
HUNSINGER: Right now, we are seeing approximately 250 applications each week. We’ve brought on additional program staffing capacity, as well as a network of partners offering free application assistance and legal services for applicants. We are assessing staffing capacity on a daily basis to ensure we have the resources needed to remove barriers for applicants, help them with their applications and provide the necessary review of application documentation to get the funds out the door.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at MacDonald@PBN.com.
