Somerville Allots $500K To Help Residents With Home Payments

SOMERVILLE, MA — The city is dedicating $500,000 in federal COVID-19 CARES Act relief funds to the Flex-CV Fund to support residents who are behind in housing payments. The Flex-CV program is an emergency temporary rental and mortgage assistance program for residents who have had an income loss, or increase in expenses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Income-eligible residents are urged to quickly apply, as all funding must be allotted by Dec. 30. Office of Housing Stability and Office of Immigrant Affairs staff are available to answer questions and provide application assistance in any language. FLEX-CV support is available to income-eligible Somerville residents regardless of immigration status. The Somerville Homeless Coalition has been selected to administer the FLEX-CV program.

"Through no fault of their own, this pandemic has caused too many to lose jobs and income or face new financial pressures that have set them behind on housing payments," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. "As a community uniting against this virus, we must ensure the security and dignity of our fellow residents and do all we can to slow community spread, which starts with having a safe space to go home to. These funds aim to support housing stability for those most deeply impacted by this historic pandemic."

To apply for the Flex-CV program, go to https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org/rapid-response/. Applications are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. For assistance in applying, visit www.somervillema.gov/OHS and click on referral to provide your contact information For more information or application assistance in any language, contact (617) 625-6600 ext. 2581. Please apply as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as received.

Eligibility - To be eligible an applicant must meet the following criteria:

1. Have gross household income at or below 100% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the region (see AMI amounts below);

2. Be a resident of Somerville (homeowners must live in their property as a primary residence); and

3. Have outstanding rental or mortgage, charges that have accrued since the start of the pandemic (March 2020 - present), or need assistance for payment of e rent or mortgage costs for December 2020.

Allowable Expenditures: Payment will be made to third parties (for example, bank, landlord) for eligible applicants for any outstanding rent, rental late fees, housing-related court costs, and mortgage due at the time of application. Prospective stipends may also be paid for expected nonpayments through the month of December 2020.

Payment Amounts: Applicants are encouraged to apply for the full amount owed or needed and support will be considered for up to that full amount based on funding availability and equitable distribution among applicants. Payments for allowable expenditures cannot exceed payment for any reason for a service or liability incurred after December 2020.

Household income thresholds: Household income must be below the Area Median Income (AMI). The 2020 HUD-approved Area Median Income limits for Somerville are as follows:

• 1-person household $83,300
• 2-person household $95,220
• 3-person household $107,100
• 4-person household $119,000
• 5-person household $128,520
• 6-person household $138,040
• 7-person household $147,560
• 8-person household $157,080

There may be more than one applicant household living in a building. Unrelated roommates may be able to apply separately. Otherwise, households are made up of family units composed of spouses, their children, and/or any parent of the children and/or caretaker of minor children. Household income is the total combined gross income of all such household members including any received child support. If you are unsure whom to count in your household, this will be clarified for you during the application process.

"We have had a housing crisis long before COVID-19, but the pandemic has been like pouring lighter fluid on the sparks. I'm incredibly grateful that Somerville, at the local level, has been working so hard to help people stay in their homes, and I hope this housing assistance cash can get into peoples' hands as quickly as possible," said Ward 3 Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen.

For more information and regular COVID-19 updates, visit www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus and sign up for City alerts at www.somervillema.gov/Alerts. We urge you to sign up for every alert method you are able to receive: phone call, text, email. Also follow FB.com/SomervilleCity and @SomervilleCity.