City set to use CARES funding to help people pay rent

City set to use CARES funding to help people pay rent

We all know what a struggle it's been for many since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Layoffs and job losses have made finances tight.

Here locally, city of st.

Joseph leaders say they're about to put more cares covid relief funding to use and help people.

(alan van zandt reporting) city leaders say they're now ready to focus federal cares money on people in st.

Joseph who need it the most..

They've got money designated to assist low to moderate income residents who have been impacted by covid.(sot: clint thompson, city planning director: "homeless prevention, helping people with rent assistance, those who weren't able to make a rent payment due to being out of work or laid off due to covid.")in all, the city's received about 1.3 million dollars of covid relief funds since the crisis began.

535,000 of that will be focused primarily on helping people pay their rent to keep them off the streets and prevent an increase on agencies that serve the homeless.(sot: bryan myers, st.

Joseph city council: "i think there are a lot of people unable to make a rent or house payments that are teetering on the verge of becoming homeless.)to qualify for some of the funding, you won't go through the city, but rather service agencies that provide help.(sot: clint thompson, community planning dir.

: the majority of these funds will be working with public service agencies and also with community action partnership to assist on rent payment for low income individuals.)some of the money has already been spent on assistance to businesses and other city services, like st.

Joe transit.(sot: andy clements, public works director: "we were really quick to get before they were snatched up to purchase atomizers.

We put disinfectent in them.

It's a solution all your stainless steel like some of the other things them.

Those are hit three times a day.

We purchased disposable masks for drivers and riders and facilities, bus stops and everything were treated in the same way and they are.") getting money into the system is on the fast track.

The mayor says he hopes dollars can start to be used in the next few weeks.