If you’re a renter or landlord struggling to pay rent or get paid by tenants, you might be able to get relief under this Arkansas program. Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) will provide rent payment assistance for Arkansans through the Arkansas Fresh Start Program. The program is designed to help renters and landlords benefit from the moratorium on evictions enacted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Residents in Arkansas who have fallen behind on their rent due to the health and economic impacts caused by the Coronavirus. It will also help landlords who have lost revenue due to the inability of tenants to stay current on their rent payments. The program starts November 9, 2020 and will last funds are depleted in each county. Assistance is available on a first come, first serve basis.
To qualify, applicants must meet each of the following criteria:
- Be a full-time Arkansas resident.
- Be a renter with an income at or below 80% of the area median income as determined by HUD (in the chart above).
- Either (i.) have an eligible rent expense that was incurred on or after March 18, 2020 that is past due or with notice of pending eviction, or (ii.) have been evicted within the previousthirty (30) days.
- Certify inability to make rent payment(s) owed because of the public health emergency due to unemployment, illness, or another COVID-19 related issue, through the submission of a signed CDC Eviction Moratorium Declaration.
Applicants for assistance under the program must provide the following documentation to demonstrate eligibility:
- Proof of identification of the applicant;
- Verification of applicant’s rent arrearage (past due rent notice/or eviction notice);
- Lease or rental agreement; Landlord name, address, phone number and email address
- Proof of gross income from the month prior to application
- Basic demographic information for all household members (name, relationship to applicant, DOB, race/ethnicity, employment status, disability status, and education level);
- Signed CDC Eviction Moratorium Declaration;
- Declaration from landlord in accordance with Section C below; in the event a landlordwill not provide the declaration the applicant will be ineligible for benefits.
Clicks on the link for CADC at www.arfreshstart.com (must use Chrome) and submit your basic info. A notice will be sent to one of our program staff who will reply with an individual, secure invitation to apply. You can also find the answers to these questions there:
