For 37 years as a state legislator, Hob Bryan has been fighting a sometimes lonely struggle to resolve some of the maddening inconsistencies that plague the state.
At the top of the list is how Mississippi uses — or, rather fails to use — federal dollars intended for poor Mississippians, he said.
“We’re the poorest state in the country, but every year the state of Mississippi returns millions of dollars set aside for poor Mississippians to the federal government,” said Bryan (D-Amory).
There may be no better example than the one playing out now with the federal rental assistance program authorized by Congress in December to help lower-income renters whose finances have been damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Treasury Department designated $200 million to help Mississippi renters and, by extension, landlords and utility companies, by paying rents for up to 15 months as well as utility bills for those who have either fallen behind on payments or have difficulty staying current on their rent and utility bills.
Under the program, municipalities or urban areas with a population of 200,000 or more were allowed to receive a direct appropriation. Harrison County and the city of Jackson received $7 million each, leaving $186 million to be distributed throughout the rest of the state.
Mississippi Home Corporation, established by the state Legislature in 1989 to help address housing issues in the state, was chosen to administer those state funds.
“They are overwhelmed,” Bryan said. “It’s a small organization with four or five people trying to administer this big program. They’ve set up a website for people to apply, but the response hasn’t been nearly what it should be.”
“I don’t have the exact numbers, but I think we’re approaching the $15 million mark,” said Scott Spivey, executive director for MHC. “Obviously, this is nowhere near the numbers we would like to be at, what we should be at.”
With less than 10 percent of the $186 million distributed, MHC is trying desperately to get the word out.
“At the end of September, the Treasury Department will reallocate those funds,” Spivey said. “That won’t mean the funds will end, but we want to make sure (we reach) everybody who is eligible. We know there is a huge need for this money right here in Mississippi.”
To facilitate that, Spivey, his staff and volunteers have been holding clinics around the state, helping renters apply for the program. Clinics have been held in Jackson, Canton, Byram and Cleveland, enrolling hundreds of renters during one- and two-day clinics.
“When I heard they were doing this, I reached out to them and asked them to come to my district.” Bryan said.
Weekend clinic at Aberdeen
MHC will hold a two-day clinic this weekend at the Aberdeen High School Gym (205 Hwy. 145 N.). Renters can apply for the rental and utility assistance from 4:30 to 6 p.m., on Friday and again from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday.
“There are only three qualifications,” Bryan noted. “You have to be a renter, you have to be affected by COVID and you have to have a low income. The income limit is pretty high. If you are one person, the income is up to $30,000 depending where you live.”
Spivey said the income thresholds are calculated based on the number of people in the household at 80 percent of the median county income.
“There are so many people who would be eligible,” Spivey said. “It’s a real shame for people not to take advantage of this program because it’s something that could really change lives. As an agency, we have to get this assistance on the street, meet people where they are. That’s why we’re having these clinics and going to rural areas where people may not know about the program or have access to the website (ms-rampera.com).
To apply at the clinic, renters need to bring paperwork, including lDs, lease agreements, pay stubs, utility bills, as well as any documents that show a loss of income due to COVID.
“I’d say bring everything you have,” Bryan said. “Anything that could possibly have to do with your rental situation, job, bills, everything you can get your hands on.”
Spivey said that the program is tenant-based — established to help the renter with housing and utility expenses.
“But it’s also something that benefits landlords and utility companies,” Spivey said. “People can’t be evicted or have their utilities shut off, which is the right thing to do. But at the same time, landlords and utility companies, especially small utility companies in rural areas, have expenses and bills to pay, too. This money goes directly to them. The government pays that rent or utility bill. So it’s to the landlords’ benefit to participate.”
Spivey said MHC is dealing with an unknown.
“Unlike mortgages, there’s no database out there to tell us how many renters there are,” Spivey said. “But we know there are thousands of people who qualify for these funds. The biggest problem is reaching those people. We’ve had great responses to these clinics and we plan to keep on doing them. We want to reach as many people as possible.”
The clinic is open to renters no matter where they live in the state.
For more information on what documents a renter should bring to the clinic and how the program works, call 601-533-8401.
“This is a big deal for people,” Bryan said. “This program not only helps you get caught up on back rent or utility payments, but provides money going forward. I’d hate to see people miss out on this just because they don’t know about it.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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