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Rent and utility assistance from the City of Tucson

Posted at 12:44 AM, Aug 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-17 03:44:33-04

TUCSON, Ariz. — $4.5 million will be spent on helping people with back due rent or utility bills.

"We can do both rent and utilities, any combination up to 25-hundred dollars," said Liz Morales,

Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Tucson.

832 households will split just over $2 million.

The difference, slightly less than $2.5 million will be used to help families already on the brink, the

City said the County's Constables will refer candidates for those funds.

"These are families that are on the list to be evicted and were affected by COVID."

To qualify, household must earn less than a certain amount.

"The $68,400 represents the hundred percent of what the average income is for Tucson residents," Morales said.

Morales said payments will not be distributed to families but paid on their behalf to whoever they owe their bill.

"The assistance is going to be provided directly to either the landlord, who they pay their rent to, or to the utility company."

The application process will be online to English and Spanish speakers, and the City said it will provide help to anyone who needs it for this process.

"We ask about what income they have and we ask about documentation that's related to the bills."

The City said it will assign a case worker to each household to verify the funds will going toward COVID-related expenses.

"We also ask for copies of their ids so we can have verification that we're assisting the right person."

Click here to apply.