Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 265 - Iowa Finance Authority › Chapter 29 - Disaster Recovery Housing Assistance › Rule 265-29.8 - Eviction Prevention Program

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Purpose.
The authority shall establish and administer an
			 eviction prevention program. Under the eviction prevention program, the
			 authority shall award grants to eligible renters and to eviction prevention
			 partners for purposes of this rule. Grants may be awarded upon a state of
			 disaster emergency proclamation by the governor that authorizes the eviction
			 prevention program. Eviction prevention assistance shall be paid out of the
			 fund established in Iowa Code section 16.57B.
(2)
Rent assistance.
a. Grants awarded to eligible renters
			 pursuant to this subrule shall be used for short-term financial rent assistance
			 to keep eligible renters in their current residences.
b. For the purposes of this subrule,
			 "eligible renter" means a renter whose income meets the qualifications of the
			 program, who is at risk of eviction, and who resides in a county that is the
			 subject of a state of disaster emergency proclamation by the governor that
			 authorizes the eviction prevention program and meets the following
			 requirements:
(1) To meet the income
			 qualifications of the eviction prevention program established in this rule, a
			 renter's household income must not exceed 80 percent of the area median income
			 as published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
			 (HUD) for the county in which the rental unit is located.
(2) A renter must be a party to a written
			 lease.
(3) The landlord must not
			 reside at the same address as the eligible renter.
c. An eligible renter may receive rent
			 assistance subject to the following limitations:
(1) An eligible renter may be awarded up to
			 six months of rent assistance.
(2)
			 An eligible renter may be awarded retroactive rent assistance.
(3) An eligible renter may be awarded rent
			 assistance to pay late fees provided that the late fees are permissible under
			 Iowa Code chapter 562A or 562B.
(4)
			 Rent assistance will be calculated by first multiplying the monthly rent amount
			 stated on the eligible renter's lease by the number of months for which
			 assistance is needed, and then adding any eligible retroactive rent assistance
			 and late fees.
(5) The amount of
			 monthly rent assistance used in calculating the award must not exceed the
			 amount stated on the eligible renter's lease.
(6) The maximum allowable rent assistance
			 that may be awarded must not exceed the lesser of the sum of the amount stated
			 on the eligible renter's lease multiplied by six months plus late fees or
			 $5,000.
d. A renter will
			 apply for assistance under this rule in the form and manner required by the
			 authority.
e. The authority will
			 disburse rent assistance under this paragraph only after a complete application
			 has been received, an award has been approved by the authority, and all
			 applicable conditions for disbursement have been met, including the submission
			 of documentation pertaining to the eligible expenses. Disbursements will be
			 paid directly to the eligible renter's landlord, unless the authority
			 determines that payment to the landlord is not feasible. If the authority
			 determines it is not feasible to pay the eligible renter's landlord directly,
			 the authority may disburse payment directly to the eligible renter.