Renters anticipating eviction have received 2% of Iowa’s allotted federal aid
(The Center Square) – As of July 6, the Iowa Finance Authority has a backlog of about 4,000 completed applications to process from tenants seeking federal rent assistance.
The “intended final extension” of the federal rental eviction moratorium ends July 31.
Iowa Finance Authority Communications Director Ashley Jared told The Center Square the agency is striving to review the backlog by that date.
The Des Moines Register reportedJuly 8 that the Iowa Finance Authority will not apply for additional funding that is available under the American Rescue Plan’s second disbursement of emergency rental assistance.
“The Register reported on a comment made by Director [Debi] Durham during our Board meeting in which she stated that she didn’t foresee us applying for the second round at this time because we are early in the process of disbursing the first allocation of $195 million,” Jared told The Center Square. “No final decision has been made as to if we will be applying for the second round of funding.”
The agency has so far spent $4.2 million (2.2%) of the $195 million in federal funds the state received through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and assisted 1,525 households. It has received 7,414 complete applications since it began accepting applications March 29 for the program’s first round of funding.
“The Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program has received a large volume of applications and our team is working diligently to review them in order to get the assistance to Iowa renters in need as quickly as possible,” Jared said. “Application review times are not currently meeting external or internal expectations.”
She said the agency is working with its software platform provider, Unqork, Inc., and partner Witt O’Brien’s to process applications more quickly.
“While the entity we selected to process applications has been working diligently, the Iowa Community Action Association, federal program management requirements make application review more complex and the volume of applications received has exceeded its capacity,” Jared said.
Case managers contact application tenants or landlords to request any required elements of the application that are missing. The state has contracted with Witt O’Brien’s to bring on additional case managers to review applications.
“The software platform adjustments paired with the additional application reviewers will allow us to significantly decrease review times of applications in the upcoming weeks,” Jared said.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued the moratorium Sept. 4, 2020, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. The CDC has extended the moratorium four times. The Emergency Rental Assistance 1 Authorized Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 was enacted Dec. 27, 2020.
Renters and households who apply for the program must have a household income of no more than 80% of the area median income, among other requirements.
Unqork did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.
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