Miami-Dade County issues $10 million of CARES Act funds to residential landlords and tenants

In March 2020, Miami-Dade County began experiencing an outbreak COVID-19. On March 11th, County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez declared a State of Emergency to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, with additional orders soon following to restrict the activities of businesses and residents to reduce the impact of the pandemic. While saving lives, these measures have had a dramatic impact on the local economy.

In response to economic hardships across the nation, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act. Miami-Dade County, using $10 million of CARES Act funds, has developed the Miami-Dade COVID-19 Residential Landlord and Tenant Assistance Program. Miami-Dade County aims to relieve the financial burden of tenants who have lost income due to COVID-19 and keep Miamians in their homes to support a strong recovery.

Public Housing and Community Development Director Michael Liu said, "This Landlord Assistance Program builds on the Department's management of the Emergency Rental Assistance program that reached out directly to renters. The Board of County Commissioners that took the lead in sponsoring the legislation behind this program recognizes that 'mom and pop' landlords need help to cover their costs, while this program simultaneously aids low- and moderate-income households in meeting their rent obligations during this health crisis.”

The Miami-Dade COVID-19 Residential Landlord and Tenant Assistance Program can provide up to three (3) months of past-due rent per unit, with a maximum of $5,000 per unit. Funds will be paid directly to approved landlords in the form of a grant by Miami-Dade County, which must be used solely to provide rent forgiveness in the same amount to eligible tenants, as described below.

Landlords facing financial hardship due to tenants experiencing income loss as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic who have missed or are in danger of missing rental payments can apply on their tenant’s behalf if the following conditions are met:

●     The landlord owns five or fewer rental properties; AND

●     Funding for outstanding rent that is being requested through the County Program has not been paid or reimbursed by any other source (County, City, State or Federal); AND

●     Eligible properties are located within Miami-Dade County; AND

●     Rental forgiveness is provided in the same amount as the grant from this program; AND

●     The current income of the tenant household meets the eligibility requirement be being at or below 120% Area Median Income (AMI). Current income refers to the household’s income following any job loss or income reduction due to COVID-19; AND

●     There is demonstration of a loss of income due COVID-19; AND

●     Proof of rent is provided showing that rent was current as of February 2020.

Applications are available today at www.miamidadecovidrelief.org.

For more information, contact Colleen Moss at [email protected].

About Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development

Public Housing and Community Development manages more than 9,000 public housing apartments, provides financial help through the federal Section 8 program to more than 23,000 families, and manages a portfolio of 1,400 affordable units. PHCD works closely with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) and with the State of Florida on the development of affordable housing.