County authorizes $24M for COVID rental, utility relief

NORRISTOWN » Nearly 3,000 Montgomery County renters impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic will soon find some relief as local leaders authorized more than $24 million in federal funding for the Montgomery County Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

“We’re extremely excited to offer this crucial assistance during the pandemic,” said Kayleigh Silver, senior manager of housing and homeless services at the Montgomery County Office of Housing and Community Development.

The $24,758,714.80 was sourced from the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program. “State, county and municipal governments with populations of over 200,000 people” are eligible recipients of the federal funding, according to

the resolution passed during the Feb. 4 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting.

There are 100,000 people renting living spaces in Montgomery County, according to officials, many who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

County officials expressed concerns about increases in homelessness due to the ongoing public health crisis, and the money allocated is expected to provide 12 months of rent and utility coverage, with capacity for another three months of rent, according to Silver.

The program is anticipated to assist between 1,900 and 2,800 families in Montgomery County.

Silver said the funds will be distributed through the county’s existing Your Way Home Emergency Rent and Utility Coalition, and organizers will work with six other Your Way Home affiliated nonprofits to provide a variety of services including “housing stability case management, financial assistance [and the] processing of applications.”

The program is expected to commence by late February, and applications will be available online and through a call center, Silver said. She added that applications would be accepted on a rolling basis, putting more emphasis on equity rather than “first come, first serve.”

Per the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Silver said that eligible participants must meet the following criteria:

• Applicants must live in Montgomery County.

• One or more individuals in a household qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced financial hardship directly/indirectly due to pandemic.

• Individuals must demonstrate risk of homelessness or housing instability.

• Individuals must have a household income area median income or below based on household size.

Silver also clarified that the program would only benefit rent and utility services, not homeowners with mortgages.

In other business, county leaders authorized a series of contracts to assist in response efforts to the ongoing public health crisis.

A $500,000 agreement between the county’s Department of Health and Human Services and several firms, involving “licensed paramedics to provide testing and vaccination services at the designated County COVID-19 sites.”

According to the contract, the services would be provided on an “as-needed basis.” It’s unclear which companies are listed in the aforementioned agreement.

A $175,450 agreement with Safeware Inc. of Lanham, Maryland, covers the purchase of disposable gloves for the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, according to the contract.

A $20,000 contract with Mon Ami Inc. of San Francisco, covers a database that would oversee volunteer and call center activities, specifically the COVID-19 vaccine priority group 1A, which has since been expanded to include people 65 years and older, as well as those 18-64 years old with certain medical conditions, according to the agreement.

Additionally, an agreement between the county’s health and human services department and General Healthcare Resources Inc., of Plymouth Meeting, allowed for the hiring of medical professionals for the purposes of COVID-19 testing and vaccination services at the following rates:

• $65 per hour for registered nurses

• $55 per hour for licensed practical nurses

• $47 per hour for medical assistants

According to the contract, the services were made available through a contract via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s cooperative purchasing program.