The Lincoln Rental Assistance Program (LRAP) that started just a few months ago is asking for $16,000 for the fiscal year beginning in July, but applications indicate that the need is many times that figure.
Qualifying households are eligible for up to $5,000 in rental assistance per year for three years. The amount of subsidy each household actually receives is based on their income and rent. “Based on these limits, the total dollar amount if we were to fund every eligible household up to their eligible subsidy would be about $100,000 per year,” said Carolyn Bottum, director of the Council on Aging (COA), which receives applications for the program overseen by the Lincoln Housing Commission. (Although the COA is involved, LRAP eligibility is not limited to seniors.)
The program, which began accepting applications last fall, is funded through the Community Preservation Fund, which in turn is funded by a small surcharge on property taxes plus state grants. Its goal is to provide greater housing stability and housing opportunities to cost-burdened households who are renting or wish to rent qualifying housing units in Lincoln. Each participant receives enough funds to ensure they don’t pay more than 30% of their household income for rent and certain utilities.
In its first year, the pilot program’s budget was $30,000. Some of that amount went for startup expenses, including work by town counsel to make sure the program met legal requirements and hiring an independent housing agency to verify eligibility, hold the lottery, and then disburse the checks. As a result, actual disbursements didn’t begin until later than expected, and there are funds left over from this year that can be used in fiscal 2021.
Twenty-nine households submitted applications by the December 31 deadline, and two more have requested information and/or applications since mid-March. The process of verifying applications is ongoing, but of the eight applications they have verified, only one has not been eligible, Bottum said.
The Covid-19 pandemic will almost certainly increase demand for the program. “Since we are still in the beginning of the emergency and the resulting economic impacts, I do believe we will have more applications come in,” Bottum said.
The local program follows federal income and affordability guidelines. Income limits to qualify for the LRAP are $77,000 for a two-person household and $96,250 for a four-person household. The 2020 median income in this area for a four-person household is $119,000.
Anyone interested may download program guidelines and an application, or call the COA at 781-259-8811 or email bottumc@lincolntown.org to receive materials by mail.