Maui Set To Receive More Than $423K In Federal Funds for Rent During Covid-19 Pandemic

The public housing authority in Maui County is set to receive $423,813 in federal funds to help low income families, elderly residents and disabled individuals with rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds are part of a larger $3 million appropriation announced by US Senator Brian Schatz today to cover the increased costs associated with the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

This grant will allow counties to increase the rent subsidies to individuals and families currently receiving HCV assistance who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

“Families should not have to worry about being evicted in the midst of a public health emergency,” said Senator Schatz, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This grant will help some of our most vulnerable residents make rent and stay in their homes while we ride out this pandemic.”

The HCV program provides federal dollars to help subsidize rent payments for about 16,500 low income, elderly, and disabled voucher holders in Hawai‘i. These subsidies cover up to 70 percent of a recipient’s rent. However, some beneficiaries of the program have recently lost their job because of the pandemic and can no longer afford to pay their share of rent after the subsidy. This surge in unemployment has resulted in rising rental costs for public housing authorities — and this grant will cover the increase in subsidies as well as cover increased administrative costs.

The funding comes from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and was authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act.

In addition to the funds for Maui, other allocations include:

• Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority: $707,968
• County of Hawai‘i: $538,316
• City and County of Honolulu: $1,126,482
• Kaua‘i County Housing Agency: $207,790