Des Moines, IA- A federally funded program that’s helped about 17,000 Iowans stay in their homes is ending soon.
Radio Iowa reports that in addition to paying for back rent, the Iowa Finance Authority’s Rent and Utility Assistance Program has higher income barriers, opening it to many more Iowans than comparable rent assistance programs.
Johnson County director of social services Lynette Jacoby says the challenge will be to find programs to fill the gap. “We know though at the local level that there isn’t funding,” Jacoby says. “We can’t fill a gap of $350,000 a month in rental assistance.”
Jacoby said that the program’s impact wasn’t just for residents, but also landlords who may have lost income from the eviction process or empty units.
The Iowa Finance Authority says the program will stop accepting new applicants at the end of August, following the nation’s trend of dialing back COVID-era assistance programs.
