RENTAL & MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE
Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc., (MEO) administers several County, State and Federally funded housing assistance programs and grants. Each program has different guidelines and requirements to best serve our community with different levels of need. Each application received is reviewed by a Housing Specialist to determine what current program may be available to best meet the client’s needs. If you have received assistance previously from another agency within a 12 month period or the same funding source, your application may deemed ineligible.
MORTGAGE & RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
The County of Maui Rental Assistance Program (RAP)
This program is designed to help individuals and families in Maui County with assistance on rental deposit, utility deposit and rental subsidy on a declining scale based on income and contingent upon the applicant’s circumstances. All assistance is paid directly to the landlord of the rental or the utility company. This program is part of a homelessness prevention initiative, helping residents to get into and sustain consistent permanent housing.
Population served include people who are:
- At-risk of homelessness (unable to pay rent).
- In a dangerous or desperate situation.
- Moving out from emergency or transitional housing.
Depending on need and available funds, this program may provide assistance with:
- Security deposit.
- Utility deposit (electric).
- First month’s rent.
- Rental subsidies.
- Back Rent (Case by Case basis).
Minimal Requirements (Entire Household members)
Identification
- Photo ID.
- Social Security Card .
- Birth certificate for children under 5 years old.
Income Verification
- 30 days of current income.
Asset Verification
- Most recent bank statements (checking and savings)
Lease Verification
- Current rental agreement (Minimum 6 month lease for Security Deposit Assistance).
- W-9 form from your landlord.
- Rental Property information sheet from your landlord.
Other
- Letter from applicant explaining why assistance is needed.
- Current Credit Report for all adults in the household.
*Additional documents may be requested in order to qualify
Please keep in mind this program requires case management and active participation for 12 months from assistance date.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
This program is designed to offer relief to COVID-19 financially impacted households. Under this program, clients may be assisted with Rent or Mortgage. Client must demonstrate loss of income due to layoff, furlough, shut down, and/or a reduction in pay after the COVID-19 Pandemic began. All assistance is paid directly to the landlord of the rental or the mortgage lender.
*HUD/Section 8 recipients are not eligible under this program.
Population served include people who are:
- Maui County Residents
- At-risk of homelessness (unable to pay rent/mortgage).
- Household with one or more persons whose income was affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Depending on need and available funds, this program may provide assistance with:
- Mortgage up to $2,500.00 per month.
- Rent up to $1,500.00 per month.
Minimal Requirements
- Government issued photo ID.
- 2020 tax return (1040 page).
- Verification of 1 month of recent income: Paystubs, Screenshot of UI benefits, filing weeks and detail, Public Benefit Statement (including SSI, disability, etc.).
- Most recent bank statement(s) for all accounts.
- Proof of hardship – documentation showing hardship DUE TO COVID-19. Examples of acceptable documents include: Unemployment letter, layoff letter, furlough, or reduction in pay (pre-pandemic pay stub and current stub).
- Rental agreement or mortgage statement.
- W-9 form from landlord.
*Additional documents may be requested in order to qualify
Please keep in mind that if you have received assistance with your mortgage or rent previously from the same funding source (Catholic Charities, MEO HELP, Family Life Center), you may be deemed ineligible.
Application Process
An online form link can be found below. Please be sure you have the required documents ready, which can be uploaded with the online form. In order to process your request as efficiently as possible, gather as many of the required documents together as you can and scan to PDF or take legible photos of your documents. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for your application to be reviewed by a Housing Specialist, who will then contact you via email and/or telephone call.
If any documents cannot be submitted with the form or are missing, a Housing Specialist will identify those documents at the time of review and email you a list with missing documents. This notice will include instructions for submittal, and you will have 5 business days to provide missing items. If you need more time, you may request an extension at the appropriate time.
Once you have collected your documents – by your deadline – an appointment can be scheduled with a Housing Specialist.
At the time of the Appointment, you may submit documents that your Housing Specialist requested and have copies made. If you do not have access to a printer or scanner, we are here to assist with that. The Housing Specialist will review all consent forms and answer questions with the applicant. Depending on the program/assistance, other documents maybe reviewed and completed during your appointment. At this time, you will be notified if you are qualified or not. If qualified, you will be informed about what you are eligible for and what the assistance will be.
If at the time of your appointment you are still missing documents, you will be required to reschedule or re-submit an application when you are ready.
Once enrollment has been completed the Housing Specialist can then request for payment, within 5-7 Business days.
Please take time to gather all required documents before filling out the application form.
If you have any questions please call our office at 808-249-2970 or email rap@meoinc.org