Need help paying rent or utility bills? How Tarrant County can pay them for you
Tarrant County is accepting applications for a rental and utility assistance program to help people pay their bills.
The county has about $24 million to distribute from the Trump administration’s $900 billion relief package that was signed in late December, county administrator G.K. Maenius said. People can apply on the county’s website or by calling 817-850-7940.
The county allocated roughly $30 million for rent assistance and to help nonprofits from the $209 million it received in the first COVID-19 relief package last year. As of March 23, it had given about $7.4 million to 2,228 households to help with rent and $8.2 million to nonprofits.
About 180 applications for are pending for aid totaling more than $500,000.
The county anticipates that it will use the $407 from President Joe Biden’s relief bill to cover COVID-19 related costs and help residents, small businesses and tourism industry. The package includes $25 million in rental and utility assistance that will be separate from the $407 million.
The county has distributed about $23.2 million to businesses affected by the pandemic, according to the most recent information provided to the Star-Telegram.
When the new relief money comes in, Maenius said he will immediately ask the Commissioners Court to allocate at least $20 million to coronavirus vaccine distribution. He wants to make sure the county has the manpower and sites to administer a large number of doses.
County officials have a partnership with the UNT Health Science Center that could cost up to $25 million. The partnership has led to a vaccination site in Stop Six.
The county has 13 vaccination sites between public health and its partners, some of which aren’t operating full time because of the limited supply of vaccines. More than 560,000 doses have been administered in the county; 9% of residents are fully vaccinated.
