In order to qualify for financial assistance with your rent or mortgage, you must meet the following guidelines:
- You must be a resident of Lake or Geauga County
- Past due balance cannot start prior to April 1, 2020
- Your household must have a COVID-19 impact (Job loss, hours cut, business closed, etc.)
- Your household income cannot exceed 200% of the federal poverty level:
| 200% Federal Poverty Level Guidelines |
| Household Size | Monthly Gross Income | Annual Gross Income |
| 1 Person | $2,097.53 | $25,520.00 |
| 2 Person | $2,833.97 | $34,480.00 |
| 3 Person | $3,570.41 | $43,440.00 |
| 4 Person | $4,306.85 | $52,400.00 |
| 5 Person | $5,043.29 | $61,360.00 |
| 6 Person | $5,779.73 | $70,320.00 |
| 7 Person | $6,516.16 | $79,280.00 |
| 8 Person | $7,252.60 | $88,240.00 |
For assistance you will need to contact our office and allow FHRC staff to take your information. Once your information has been collected, a staff member will request that you obtain the following documentation from yourself and your landlord:
- Lease Agreement
- Account breakdown from landlord showing balance owed and/if any late fees
- Proof of COVID-19 related hardship (letter from employer, documentation from doctor, etc.)
FHRC will ask that this documentation be submitted for assistance prior to proceeding with your application. Our office building is closed to the public at this time. Documentation will be accepted via the following:
- Mail to Fair Housing:
- 1100 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio 44077
- Dropped off in the drop of box on the side of our building in a sealed envelope
- Faxed to 440-210-6556
- Emailed to your counselor or [email protected]
Once your documentation has been received, FHRC staff will get in contact with your landlord. FHRC will ask for the landlord to accept the assistance, verify the documentation sent, verify ownership, and will be sent 2 forms to complete and return to FHRC.
Once the documentation has been received from your landlord, your application will be forwarded to Lifeline Inc. Lifeline will then contact you to discuss your application and make the final approval/denial decision for assistance.
** This information is provided to help guide you through the application process. You must contact FHRC prior to sending your documentation to be eligible for assistance.
For your tenant to apply for assistance they need to follow the instructions listed above. Your tenant will be contacting you for a copy of an account statement/breakdown outlining the balance currently owed on their account and any late fees. Your tenant will be required to submit the following:
- Lease Agreement
- Account breakdown from landlord showing balance owed and/if any late fees
- Proof of COVID-19 related hardship (letter from employer, documentation from doctor, etc.)
Once the documentation has been received a FHRC staff member will contacting you to verify the information received and to have you complete the following documentation:
- Landlord Verification and Agreement for Program Participation
- W-9 Form
FHRC will ask that this documentation be submitted for assistance prior to proceeding with your application. Our office building is closed to the public at this time. Documentation will be accepted via the following:
- Mail to Fair Housing:
- 1100 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio 44077
- Dropped off in the drop of box on the side of our building in a sealed envelope
- Faxed to 440-210-6556
- Emailed to your counselor or [email protected]
Once documentation is received FHRC is required to verify ownership. Most of the time this verification can be completed on the Auditor`s website. However, if your rental property is owned under an alternate name documentation will need to be provided to prove ownership.
Once ownership has been verified FHRC will forward the application for Lifeline for consideration.
** This information is provided to help guide you through the application process. Please contact FHRC with any questions or concerns.
For assistance with your mortgage you will need to contact our office and allow FHRC staff to take your information. Once your information has been collected, a staff member will forward your request to Lifeline for additional assistance.
Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc and Lifeline Inc. are working diligently to process all applications received to provide assistance with your housing needs. We ask for patience during this time as both agencies call volume has significantly increased with this program. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Fair Housing at 440-392-0147 for more information.
This information has been provided as a guide to assist the residents of Lake and Geauga County through this process. This process is subject to change at any time due to the nature of the program. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.
