OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Osceola County officials have announced plans to offer more rent and mortgage assistance to residents impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic.
In total, $1.7 million will be made available for residents of unincorporated Osceola County who are having problems paying their housing bills. About $940,000 will be distributed when the application process opens up on July 6 and spans three days.
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The county plans to use a lottery system to select which households receive the funds.
“Those who meet qualifying criteria will enter a drawing with about 500 households eligible in each round. The applications will be given a lottery number through a random computer generated process. Once given a 'lottery’ number the applications will be processed until that particular round of funding has been exhausted,” a news release read.
Kissimmee and St. Cloud residents are not eligible, according to the county.
The last time the county offered up housing assistance, the 500 slots available filled within minutes, which is why leaders have devised a new approach. The plan for distribution will finalized during a meeting on Monday.
Officials also announced the earmarking of $500,000 to help small business owners recover from the loss of customers. Payments of up to $5,000 can be used to cover payroll, commercial rent, utilities and the purchase of personal protective equipment.
Applications for that funding will open Wednesday at weveopenedsafely.com.
“The County has many obligations but finding a way to help residents who need it most is important to the County Commission, so today’s report was an encouraging development and I’m glad staff was able to address our concerns,” Chairwoman of the Board of County of Commissioners Viviana Janer said in a news release. “We hope that the refinements to the funding process and the shift in available dollars will be a godsend to those trying to recover from this crisis that has affected our physical and economic health.“
The county has not yet received federal CARES Act money. When it does, up to $22 million could be available for distribution to help the area recover, officials said.