Emergency rental assistance reaches 250 local tenants

An emergency rental assistance fund for Whitefish area workers impacted by COVID-19 assisted more than 250 renters this month.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Whitefish workers found themselves without a job and unable to pay bills, including rent.

The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, the Whitefish Housing Authority and the Whitefish Community Foundation came together in late March to create the emergency fund to aid with one-time rent payments for renters whose employment status was affected by COVID-19.

The program was able to pay out $68,972 on behalf of 252 renters in the Whitefish area as the result of donations to the program.

Lori Collins, executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority, said applications to the program were coming in seven days per week through constant calls and emails. Property managers and employers were reaching out to the WHA about obtaining help for those in-need.

“It was very successful,” she said. “People contacted us right away about getting assistance. We were really hoping to be a bridge to help people get through April.”

Collins said she’s extremely grateful to donors who supported the program, along with representatives of the chamber, housing authority and community foundation for being able to work together to create the program in a span of just three days.

“We’re thankful to everybody who played a part in this,” she said. “It was a great thing for us to be able to do — this is about housing and that’s what we do.”

Each affected worker was eligible to apply for $300 in rent assistance, with a cap of 50% of the monthly rent amount. If multiple wage earners in a single household were affected, $300 was available for each wage earner, subject to the 50% cap.

Approved applicants were granted a check written by the Whitefish Housing Authority directly to the applicant’s landlord to help with rental payments.

The rental assistance fund is depleted at this time, but is still accepting donations in hopes of supporting future need.

For more information regarding the fund or the Whitefish Housing Authority, visit www.WhitefishHousing.org.