The City of Wichita has provided over $6.6 million in rental assistance to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, under the Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Wichita housing director Sally Stang said in addition to the city’s program, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation is also providing assistance through its Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program.     Stang said Wichita residents can apply for either program, but they cannot get assistance from both.   She said her staff has been in communication with KHRC to make sure there is no duplication of services.

Stang said the Centers for Disease Control has issued a new 60-day moratorium, and it is only in effect for counties that have a high level of spread of COVID-19.    The CDC has an interactive map on its website so people can find out if their county is covered by the new moratorium.   If a county is covered, but then its COVID-19 transmission rate drops to a low-to-moderate level, the county will no longer fall under the moratorium.

Stang said there have also been issued with tenants and landlords who are not meeting requirements of the assistance program.  She said tenants have to attest in a declaration to the landlord that they have done their very best to make partial rent payments and they are as close as possible to full rent payments.   They also have to show that they have had a negative impact from the pandemic.     She said some people have stopped paying rent entirely because of the moratorium, and that won’t qualify them for assistance.     Stang said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has reported similar cases across the country.    She said tenants and landlords need to understand the documents and requirements of the program.

Funding for the rental assistance programs is expected to be available through 2025.   More information is available on the city’s web site at wichita.gov