<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608310013858.png" alt="Governor Laura Kelly " />
 <figcaption>Governor Laura Kelly </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation announced $200 million in statewide rental assistance on Tuesday. The initiative, funded&nbsp;through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, provides the state of Kansas with $200 million to support housing stability and prevent evictions and homelessness, according to a media release from Kelly's office.“COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for Kansans, and it is more important than ever to keep our families safe in their homes,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly.&nbsp;“The $200 million funding for rental assistance will go a long way to prevent evictions and homelessness, and ensure Kansans can stay sheltered and secure while we continue to fight this virus.”Kansans&nbsp;struggling to cover&nbsp;rent and utility payments due to COVID may qualify for up to&nbsp;12 months&nbsp;of&nbsp;emergency&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;thanks to new&nbsp;federal&nbsp;relief.&nbsp;Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC)&nbsp;and the&nbsp;City of Wichita&nbsp;will administer the funds.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Home has never been more important,”&nbsp;said Ryan Vincent, KHRC Executive Director. “Home has always been a place of shelter, but&nbsp;in the midst of&nbsp;the&nbsp;pandemic it’s also become our virtual workplace, classroom, and gathering space.&nbsp;Rental assistance protects&nbsp;Kansans’ access to home when they need it most.”&nbsp;Tenants may qualify for assistance if they earn no more than 80&nbsp;percent of their area’s median income,&nbsp;are experiencing documented financial hardship as a result of the COVID&nbsp;pandemic and&nbsp;may be at risk of housing instability or homelessness without assistance.&nbsp;&nbsp;“In&nbsp;unprecedented times of hardship, it’s imperative that we step up to provide security to those in need,”&nbsp;said Sally Stang, Director of Housing and Community Services for the City of Wichita.&nbsp;“Everyone needs a little help now and then, and we want to ensure that families and individuals who need help to stay in their homes receive it.”&nbsp;Wichita residents may apply through the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.tAtFH55-od1oLyAI9GHcUlNaZ3PiU1NIKEpuD33Jn-M/s/1303160919/br/97675582574-l" target="_blank">Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance Program (WERAP)</a>&nbsp;administered by the&nbsp;city’s Housing and Community Services division. The&nbsp;city’s&nbsp;online application will open on Monday, February 22, 2021.Kansans living outside the Wichita city limits may apply through the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.jQvumyYIG5otgdQtPx59nJXH2BHkndA64CLUvf1XVxc/s/1303160919/br/97675582574-l" target="_blank">Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA)</a>&nbsp;program administered by KHRC. The&nbsp;online&nbsp;KERA application will open on Monday, March 15, 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;The KERA and WERAP programs follow the 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.DmEDZDraeczogZEnT6DY5s0sBll4UzvI7Bi7mgH45Bk/s/1303160919/br/97675582574-l" target="_blank">Kansas Eviction Prevention Program (KEPP)</a>, a $20 million assistance initiative administered by KHRC with federal CARES Act funding. In the roughly 60 days that the program was in statewide operation, KHRC received 10,138 applications for more than $25 million requested in assistance, representing 27,200 Kansans financially impacted by COVID.&nbsp;

Pandemic assistance: Governor announces $200M for renters