The City of Salina Community Relations Division, in partnership with Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, announced today that it has been awarded a total of nearly $3.1 million in assistance from Kansas Housing Corporation to assist eligible Salinans who are at imminent risk of eviction and individuals who have lost housing to quickly regain housing stability.
The funds are made available through the Emergency Solutions Grant program through the federal CARES Act.
Salinans struggling to cover rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic could qualify for up to six months of emergency assistance. Salina residents can apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Housing and Rental Assistance Program administered through a partnership between the City of Salina Community Relations Division and Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas.
Tenants may qualify for the COVID-19 Housing and Rental Assistance Program if they:
●Are literally homeless OR at-risk of homelessness
●Earn no more than 50% of their area’s median income
●Have the ability to work or garner a legal means of income
●Live in the Salina city limits
To apply, Salina tenants should complete the online inquiry form at ccnks.org/salinahousing or stop by Catholic Charities at 1500 S. Ninth Street to complete the inquiry.
To inquire about this program, visit Catholic Charities at ccnks.org/salinahousing or call 785-825-0208. You can also contact the City of Salina Community Relations Division for additional information at 785-309-5745.
Depending on funding availability, the program may be able to provide funding for past due rent and utilities, security deposits, short-term and first-month's rent, and temporary emergency shelter for qualifying homeless individuals. If qualified, the program may also cover future rent and utilities in three-month increments, with recertification of eligibility every 90 days.
This is a step-down assistance program, meaning participants work to become financially independent. Participants meet regularly with a case manager to achieve employment and budgeting goals, ensuring they are able to live independently or with minimal assistance after six months.
“After the many hardships of the past year, we are grateful for this opportunity to partner with the City of Salina. This program will be such a blessing for individuals and families who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads,” said Megan Robl, executive director of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas. “Our goal is to help keep families in their homes and walk with them on their journeys as they get back on their feet.”
Catholic Charities also has a program available to assist Kansans living outside the Salina city limits but within Catholic Charities’ 31-county service area in Northwest Kansas. To inquire about this program, visit ccnks.org/housingassistance or call 785-825-0208.