IOWA, USA — More Iowans will now be eligible for the COVID-19 Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program after criteria was expanded, the Iowa Finance Authority announced Tuesday.
The program's criteria now allows Iowans who had been receiving the $600/week unemployment benefit to apply for rent and mortgage assistance through the program.
The Iowa Finance Authority went hard to work to roll this out after the federal eviction moratorium and $600/week unemployment benefit both ended last week.
"We acted to launch this program as a vital resource to assist Iowans in staying in their home after experiencing a COVID-19 related loss of income,” Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Debi Durham said.
Durham said the program has helped over 1,100 Iowans since its launch in late May, and hopes it will assist many more with the new expansion of criteria.
The program is available to any Iowan who has experienced a documented loss of income because of the COVID-19 pandemic starting on or after March 17. They must also have a household income that is no more than 80 percent of the nationwide average family income at the time of the application.
The program pays rent and mortgage directly to landlords and banks on behalf of the renter/homeowner. The application period will last until the end of the year or until the program runs out of money entirely.
The Iowa Finance Authority says Iowans who applied for assistance before and were denied because of unemployment benefit status are welcome to reapply.
Any household with an adult member that received the $600 unemployment benefit any time in June and July are not eligible to apply for assistance for those months, but can still apply and get assistance starting with payments for the month of August.
To apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program, click here.