The city of Clovis has created a program to help those who have suffered financial loss due to COVID-19 and need assistance paying their rent or mortgage.
Clovis has allocated $200,000 to provide up to three months of funds to low-income Clovis residents that have become delinquent on their mortgage or rent payments.
To qualify for assistance, applicants must be able to meet eligibility by being delinquent on payments, having suffered financial loss due to the Coronavirus and have an annual gross household income at or below 80 percent of area median income as published by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Assistance is paid on the applicant’s behalf directly to their landlord or mortgage lender.
Heidi Crabtree, Clovis’ Housing Program Coordinator, said it was easy for the city to identify a need for the program.
“The need is pretty standard across the country right now because of people losing their income because of Covid,” Crabtree said. “ It was pretty easy to recognize the need in the community.”
The program is only designed to help those who have past-due rent or mortgage payments, not to help fund future payments, she added.
Clovis started the program Wednesday, July 15 and Crabtree said people quickly showed interest.
“I started getting calls and emails within a few minutes of the program being posted on the city’s website and also social media based on requests,” she said. “I have sent probably about 20 applications to people and I have 5 in my inbox when I started work this morning. We are processing those now.”
Applications for the program can be found on the city of Clovis’ website or they can be mailed by contacting Crabtree at (559) 324-9094.