LYNN — The Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development has received nearly $400,000 in federal funding to support low-income families and others who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
LHAND is one of many public housing authorities throughout the state that will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which has been made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
On Tuesday, the HUD announced more than $17.8 million in CARES Act funding was being distributed to help low-income families in Massachusetts during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Lynn, LHAND will receive $396,342, which will allow the housing agency to support residents who need assistance with their rent, utility, and mortgage payments through a variety of existing programs, according to Carly McClain, executive counsel for LHAND.
“It’s just to continue to provide a continuity of services to members of our community and also expand on the services we’re already offering and providing,” said McClain. “We had to pivot pretty significantly since March and some of that pivot has given us an opportunity to embrace a larger portion of our community in terms of services.”
For instance, LHAND is usually limited to providing services for individuals and households that make up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), but the emergency funding through the virus relief package allows the agency to help some people who make up to 80 percent, McClain said.
That higher-income group of people would not typically be eligible for benefits, but may be in need due to the economic downturn that has resulted from the virus, which includes a high level of unemployment.
In some cases, the funds would be supporting tenants who cannot afford to pay their rent or utility bills, but in other instances, the landlords may also be in need of support if their tenants are not able to make their monthly rent payments, McClain said.
Small property owners who fall into that higher income bracket have to provide documented proof that they are behind on their mortgage payments in order to receive assistance from LHAND.
“The program is really aimed at getting the money out quickly to maintain people’s housing,” said McClain. “We really want to help people. We don’t want to see a wave of people out on the street potentially by mid-October.”
McClain is referring to past estimates from state housing courts, which anticipate about 20,000 eviction cases will be filed as soon as the state’s moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expires on Oct. 17. She said she has heard more recent estimates that put that number at closer to 30,000.
“It’s going to be dangerous,” said McClain. “If you have a bunch of families that are evicted and homeless, the rate of infection is going to skyrocket. It’s not going to be good for anybody.
“The (federal) money is good, but the bigger issues need to be solved. No (amount of) money is going to be enough to keep people housed and safe if there’s still a pandemic raging and the threat of homelessness is on the horizon.”
Since the CARES Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in March, McClain said LHAND has received about $4.5 million through the legislation.
With the most recent round of funding, McClain anticipates LHAND will be able to provide assistance for 300 to 600 individuals and households, which is dependent on how much each person receives.
Most of the time, financial support is capped at about $4,000, but there are some instances where people will receive more, she said.
McClain said LHAND is grateful for the continued financial support from the federal government, but she anticipates much more will be needed as the pandemic does not appear to be going away anytime soon.
“We’re relieved and grateful that the money continues to come in,” she said. “However, there just doesn’t feel like there’s an end in sight and if people aren’t able to return to work safely — their kids are not going to school probably through December — it’s going to take a lot more rounds of money to keep people housed and safe.
“Once the moratorium is over, thousands of families are going to be in jeopardy. We’re grateful for the money. Truly we are, but we’re very concerned.”
Housing authorities in Peabody, Revere, Saugus and Salem will also benefit from the most recent round of CARES Act funding.