As of May 10, 2021, residents of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau with a demonstrated reduction in income due to the COVID 19 pandemic will be eligible to apply for the County of Kaua‘i’s 2021 Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance Program. Starting December 1, 2022, the combined household income requirement will decrease to 50% or less to focus on the most vulnerable communities. Additionally, kupuna aged 62 years or older, those facing imminent eviction, and domestic violence survivors can be accepted up to 80% AMI with required documentation. [UPDATE December 23, 2022 for clarity.]
The 2021 Coronavirus Rental and Utility program is designed to support individuals and families pay essential cost of living expenses as the economy recovers in the aftermath of the pandemic. Eligible expenses include future rent, rental arrears, and utilities in arrears for the period after March 2020, as funds permit.
Eligible applicants with completed applications may receive up to $1,500 per month for rent. There is no monthly cap on qualifying utilities. Information from both tenants and landlords must be provided in order for an application to qualify for the program. The cooperation of both parties is appreciated.
Funding is limited to households’ primary residence of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau. Fifteen months of assistance including past due rent and future rent, though more
help may be available depending upon availability of funds and managerial circumstances based on your circumstances.
Eligibility:
To qualify for rent and/or utility assistance, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a Kaua‘i County resident;
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Be a renter
- Have incurred a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic or experienced increased costs, or other financial hardship, directly or indirectly related to the outbreak, and have an annual gross household income at or below 50% of the area median income (AMI) for the number of members in their household.
The following chart illustrates the 50% AMI for various household sizes qualification:
How to Calculate Annual Median Income (AMI) example:
2021 tax return – add adjusted gross income for each household member
Add your last two (2) paychecks together, then multiply it by 12 (if paid twice a month) to calculate your AMI.
**If you get paid weekly, add the four (4) paychecks together
Example:
$500 (1st paycheck) + $450 (2nd paycheck) = $950 (monthly income)
$950 (monthly income) x 12 months = $11,400 (annual income)
In-person online application assistance has been and will continue to be, accepted at Kaua‘i FCU satellite locations scheduled around the island. Please contact the CRUA team to make an appointment.
Persons without internet access or a computer are encouraged to visit one of the satellite program locations or reach out to their local library for times, availability, and guidelines on available computer use. Please note that library staff cannot assist with applications or CRUA-related questions.
Applicants needing an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability should contact Kaua‘i FCU at [email protected] as soon as possible, noting “ADA” in the subject line of the email. Early requests for assistance will ensure Kaua‘i FCU staff can respond on a priority basis.
Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union hosted a webinar on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 to introduce the 2021 Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance. It was attended by more than 130 residents. Questions and feedback from the community have been consolidated and the recorded webinar is available for viewing on the website here.
Required application forms are also available under Documents. Details on eligibility requirements are available in the FAQ section of the website and in-person live support is available at both the Lihue and Kilauea branches of Kaua‘i FCU for application intake and/or questions. Please contact us to schedule an appointment. Complete applications with all the appropriate documentation allow us to serve our applicants and community better.
Mahalo!
