Miami – It started with an email sent to CBS4 by a Miami woman. This woman was behind on her rent and she had applied for the Miami-Dade County Emergency Rental Assistance Program, she told me.
That was September 14th.
With a waiting period of over three months and a lot of anxiety, the woman said she was frustrated when she was told her application was under review.
Two documents were missing and the waiting continued even though I submitted the documents twice.
We haven’t named the woman because she said she didn’t want her family to know about her struggle.
When I met her at her tiny unit in Miami, she said she hadn’t slept in the last few days because January was coming up and her rent was months behind.
“I’m worried about January. I’ve never been late on rent, so I applied for the program and submitted my paperwork,” she said.
Two weeks ago, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava said she was expanding her rental assistance program.
“ERAP helps past rent utilities, relocations, and rent increases,” the mayor explained.
The program allows single Miami-Dade renters earning up to $95,620 annually to qualify for rental assistance.
According to the county, it usually takes several weeks to review an application.
Broward County also has rental assistance, but you must show government-issued identification such as a driver’s license, a current tenancy agreement signed by you and your landlord, and proof of income.
The landlord must show your unpaid rent and you must prove financial hardship.
“I know there are other people in the same situation, so I want to spread my story,” she said.
The head of Miami-Dade Public Housing told CBSMiami that the woman’s case somehow went unnoticed,
She is eligible and her rental aid is due to be issued on Thursday.
The woman says she is relieved and is texting other renters who have applied for her assistance
“Make sure all documents are sent and received and that they are seen,” she said.
