Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced today that she spoke directly with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to encourage greater flexibility for Hillsborough County to disburse federal Covid19 emergency funds to help neighbors facing eviction stay in their homes. An important area of help for both small businesses and families is rent relief. To date, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa have combined to distribute $49 million in rental and utilities assistance through Hillsborough County’s Rapid Response Recovery Assistance (R3) initiative. 

Rep. Castor wants all Hillsborough County residents to know that millions of dollars of aid remain available to help both renters and property owners in need. If you are an renter or landlord in Hillsborough County, you can find rental and utility assistance information, application and eligibility guidelines here.

These dollars in the hands of folks who need it represent a lot of hard work on the part of local government workers and both federal CARES Act and Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) dollars. It is important to note, with the possible expiration of the CDC’s eviction moratorium, that help has been flowing and hope is still there for families and small businesses.  

“Tampa Bay families deserve to stay safe during the upsurge in Covid19. And, mom-and-pop landlords, that represent more than 40 percent of local landlords nationwide, need to keep their small businesses open and their employees working,” said Rep. Castor. “I fought to allocate rental aid directly to counties and cities to help keep our neighbors in their own homes throughout the pandemic, and I urge anyone in need to contact the county and submit an application for ERAP assistance today to avoid eviction and pay rent. I am grateful for the continued lifeline that federal funds are providing to families in Hillsborough County and deeply appreciate the tireless work of local public servants who strive diligently to help our fellow neighbors who need it most.”

Through the CARES Act, Hillsborough County disbursed $34 million in Housing & Utility Assistance to nearly 7,000 recipients. The CARES Act is a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package for states and local communities passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020.

As of August 2^nd, $15.3 million has been approved to reach 4,930 Hillsborough County residents through ERAP. These monies were made available through a federal Covid19 aid bill passed in December 2020, and more funds will be made available through the American Rescue Plan in the days ahead.