San Antonio Emergency Housing Assistance Program One Year Anniversary

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

April 26, 2021

Emergency Housing Assistance Program One Year Anniversary

CONTACT: Michelle Vigil, City of San Antonio (210) 207-8172
michelle.vigil@sanantonio.gov

SAN ANTONIO (April 26, 2021) – April 23rd marked the one-year anniversary of the City’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). On April 23, 2020, City Council approved the creation of the Emergency Housing Assistance Program in response to exponential increases for housing assistance requests due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides rent, mortgage, utility, and internet assistance to eligible applicants facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Dates:

• April 16, 2020 – First Electronic Application received into EHAP system created by Kinetech Cloud
• April 23, 2020 EHAP Program created with City Council approved Phase 1 $25.6 million allocation
• May 7, 2020 – First Electronic EHAP Application Approved
• April 16, 2021 – EHAP One Year Anniversary - $89.4 million approved to 33,264 households

“The Emergency Housing Assistance Program has been a lifeline for many residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing the resources they need to remain housed,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “The program demonstrates our City’s compassionate values. I want to thank my Council colleagues, the Housing Commission, and the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department for continuing to assist our most vulnerable residents through the pandemic.”

The current EHAP budget is $133.6 Million. The City has approved $89.4 Million in assistance to residents seeking emergency rental, mortgage, and utility assistance to over 33,264 households. These 33,264 households represent 89,183 San Antonio and Bexar County residents, with an average assistance per household of $2,688.

The City’s COVID-19 Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) has received two awards including the 2020 American Planning Associations “Advancing Diversity and Social Change” Planning Award and the 2021 National Community Development Association (NCDA) “Audrey Nelson Award” for accomplishments surrounding the City’s COVID-19 Emergency Housing Assistance Program.

“Providing Emergency Housing Assistance is one of the most important things our City could do to respond to the pandemic by helping families facing economic crisis. We have helped thousands of our neighbors stay housed by providing rental and mortgage help,” said Verónica Soto, Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department. Our staff has delivered on this response in an impressive fashion. I am proud of our team and I know this assistance will help us recover as a city more quickly as we strive to leave no one behind on housing costs.”

San Antonio residents can find more information on the program or apply for the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Assistance at https://www.sanantonio.gov/NHSD/Programs/FairHousing

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.