Hope Services reopens Rent & Mortgage Assistance Program; aims to distribute $188,000 in financial aid to Hawaii County residents impacted by COVID-19
Hope Services reopens Rent & Mortgage Assistance Program; aims to distribute $188,000 in financial aid to Hawaii County residents impacted by COVID-19.
| Who: | Hope Services Hawaii, Hawaii County |
| What: | Hawai’i Island residents impacted by COVID-19 and making under 80% AMI may apply for one-time rent or mortgage payments of up to $2,000 per household. The agency aims to distribute all the funding by the end of February. |
| Why: | To assist Hawaiʻi Island residents experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to keep people housed. |
| When: | Funds can be used to cover rental or mortgage payments for Hawaii County residents who have experienced a loss in income due to COVID-19 |
| Where: | Applicants must be residents of Hawaiʻi Island. |
| How: | Applicants may apply at hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap or by calling 808-935-3050. |
| Media Contact: | Kristen Alice, Hope Services Director of Community Relations |
Hope Services Hawaii has reopened applications for financial assistance for Hawaii County residents who have experienced a loss in income due to COVID-19.
Eligible applicants may receive one-time emergency financial assistance for rent or mortgage payments of up to $2000 per household.
The program is a partnership between HOPE Services Hawai’i and the County of Hawai’i’s Office of Housing and Community Development, and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds. Payments will be made directly to the landlord, bank or mortgage company. Applicants who previously received assistance funded by the CARES Act may still be eligible to apply.
In order to qualify, households must have been financially impacted by Covid-19, and be at or below 80% of the area median income level, listed below.
| Household/Family Size | Yearly Income Limit |
| 1 | $46,700 |
| 2 | $53,350 |
| 3 | $60,000 |
| 4 | $66,650 |
| 5 | $72,000 |
| 6 | $77,350 |
| 7 | $82,650 |
| 8 | $88,000 |
A full list of qualifications and required documents is available online at www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/RMAP. Applications are currently being accepted online or by phone.
“We ask that applicants carefully read the requirements on the website and gather all their documents, especially tax returns, a past due notice, and proof of hardship before applying,” says Director of Operations Denise Oguma, who is leading the team processing applications. “We’ve received hundreds of applications, and the only ones we can process are the ones that are completed entirely.”
“We are grateful to the County’s Office of Housing and Community Development for partnering with us to help Hawaii Island residents stay housed” said Hope CEO Brandee Menino. “We hope to distribute the remaining $188,000 from these funds by the end of February, and we encourage eligible Hawaii County residents to apply as soon as possible.”
For questions regarding this Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program, please visit www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/RMAP or contact Hope Services Hawai‘i, Inc. at 935-3050 or RMAP@hopeserviceshawaii.org Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
