Officials of Hawaii Community Lending, a Honolulu-based nonprofit mortgage broker, are partnering with six Big-Island based nonprofits to offer an Emergency Rental Assistance program that will provide $21 million to island renters to help them pay their monthly housing bills.
The program, which attempts to streamline aid payments, is unique, said Jeff Gilbreath of Hawaii Community Lending executive director.
“The Hawaii County program is unique because it is a partnership between the county and seven on-island nonprofits,” Gilbreath told the Big Island Times. “Hawaii Community Lending is the lead nonprofit agency providing training, technical assistance, marketing, outreach support and compliance. Our six nonprofit partners are processing applications and paying out assistance, which means we have six administrative offices cutting checks and wiring funds versus one administrative office."
Gilbreath said the money provided will help island residents who rent to pay their housing and utility bills. The aid is of special importance to residents who were laid off from jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic and are struggling to pay back-rent and related bills.
"This has helped us open up and deploy funds quickly without experiencing a bottle neck that can occur when one organization is responsible for paying out the funds,” Gilbreath said.
The six nonprofits participating are Hawaii First Federal Credit Union, HOPE Services Hawaii, Neighborhood Place of Puna, Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council and the Salvation Army.
Gilbreath said the idea for the program came about as a result of talks between officials of Hawaii Community Lending and those of HOPE Services Hawaii, a nonprofit organization, an affiliate of the Roman Catholic Church that provides help to homeless and low-income residents.
“Both myself and Brandee Menino, executive director of HOPE, participate on the State Legislature’s COVID Housing Working Group,” Gilbreath said. “We used our time on this group to adopt best practices and lessons learned from emergency assistance programs as they were developed and presented to the State Legislature, prior to the launch of the first round of emergency assistance programs.”
Gilbreath said the nonprofits chosen to partner in the effort were those who deliver emergency services and have staff already in place.
The Hawaii Electric Light Co. (HELCO) and the County of Hawaii Water Dept. will also participate and help to promote the program to residents by providing information to renters and utility users, Gilbreath said.
Renters and individuals wishing to sign up to receive financial aid from the program may fill out an application with one of the six nonprofit participants. Information and a list of required documents to apply can be reached at the county website.