In Rutherford County, TN, there is a housing crisis where some landlords have not been paid back rent by tenants due to the mandated eviction moratorium in Tennessee, specifically Rutherford County.
Rutherford County, Tennessee: Landlord and Tenant Housing Rental Stats
The Rutherford County, TN residential population is 341,486 as recorded by the Census Bureau for Rutherford County, TN in 2020.
Total housing units for Rutherford County, TN are 125,447 (as of 2019). The owner-occupied housing unit rate is 65.20%, with a median value of owner-occupied housing units at $234,700. The median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage) is $1,399, and those median selected monthly owner costs (without a mortgage) is $439.
For tenants paying rent, the median gross rent (from 2015 to 2019) has averaged $1,117 in Rutherford County, TN.
New home construction in Rutherford County, TN saw building permits rise to 3,520 in 2020.
Overall, Rutherford County, TN has a median household income (in 2019 dollars) of $68,718.
How Federal Rental Assistance Works in Rutherford County, TN to Help Landlords
For Rutherford County, TN landlords, you may think of Rutherford County, TN rental assistance as help for renters.
Right now, most federal emergency rental assistance programs accept applications from Rutherford County, TN landlords. Where Rutherford County, TN renters can apply, they often need the landlord’s help to complete the process and make payments directly to the landlord or property owner in Rutherford County, TN.
Nationwide, state and local programs are taking applications from renters and landlords to distribute money from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program in their own communities.
Rutherford County, Tennessee‘s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program
In Rutherford County, TN, the main rental assistance program for helping landlords and tenants is called:
Rutherford County, Tennessee’s COVID-19 Rent Relief Program
https://rutherfordcountytn.gov/rental-relief-program
How Do I Apply for Emergency Rental Assistance in Rutherford County, TN?
You apply through your Rutherford County, TN local emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. Each local program has some flexibility in how they set up policies and procedures to suit the needs of their local community.
For example, in some areas, you can apply for rental assistance yourself. In other areas, landlords need to submit an application first.
What Does Rutherford County, Tennessee Emergency Rental Assistance Cover?
The federal ERA Program allows Rutherford County, TN local programs to cover rent, utilities, and home energy costs. This includes electricity, gas, fuel oil, water and sewer, and trash removal. If your landlord normally pays for utilities or home energy costs, these are counted as part of your rent.
Rutherford County, TN rental assistance may also cover:
• Reasonable late fees (if not included in your rental or utility debt)
• Internet service to your home
• Moving expenses and other rental-related fees (such as security deposits, application fees, or screening fees) for families who have to move
Some programs may also provide housing counseling, case management, legal representation, and other housing stability services.
Can I Get Help with The Cost of Moving to a New Home in Rutherford County, TN?
The federal ERA Program allows local programs to help with moving expenses, security deposits, rental applications or screening fees.
How Much Rutherford County, TN Financial Help Can I Get?
The federal ERA Program allows local programs to receive up to 18 months of help with rent, including overdue rent, back to March 13, 2020, if the money is available.
If you have overdue rent, the money must go toward rent that you owe, first. Rutherford County, TN local programs may be able to help with future rent. In addition, you may get help with your future rent payments, up to 3 months at a time. But this depends on your local program.
Ask your Rutherford County, TN local program about the total amount of help available to you.
Do I Have to Be Behind on Rent to Get Help in Rutherford County, TN?
You don’t have to be behind on rent to get assistance. Some programs offer help with future rent. However, if you have overdue rent, the money you get must go toward rent that you owe before it can be used for future rent.
Can Rutherford County, TN Rental Assistance Cover the Cost of a Hotel or Motel Room?
Yes. If your household is eligible for emergency rental assistance, local programs may cover the cost of a Tennessee hotel or motel room if:
• You had to move out of your home and you don’t have a permanent home elsewhere
• You can provide hotel or motel bills or other evidence of your stay, and
• Your local program follows the rules for this emergency rental assistance
If emergency rental assistance is not available to help cover these costs, you can also ask for help under the HUD Emergency Solutions Grant program. Visit Benefits.gov for more information about Emergency Solutions Grants. You may also be able to find help at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Am I Eligible for Emergency Rental Assistance in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
To be eligible for help covering your rent, you must have an agreement to pay rent for your home or mobile home lot. You don’t necessarily need to have a signed lease, and your home could be an apartment, house, mobile home, or other place.
These three statements also need to be true:
1. At least one member of your household has:
• Qualified for unemployment or should qualify
• Lost income
• Owed large expenses, OR
• Had other financial hardships
2. Your household income is below a certain amount, based on where you live
3. At least one member of your household is experiencing housing instability, which means they are at risk of becoming homeless or would have trouble finding a stable place to live
Where Can I Find Out If My Household Qualifies for Rutherford County, TN Rental Help?
Eligibility is based on a renter household’s financial situation and housing needs. If you’re a landlord, eligibility is based on your tenant’s household needs.
Federal rules allow local rental assistance programs to cover rent or utilities for low-income families. This generally includes renter households with income up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with adjustments for family size.
Local emergency rental assistance programs must prioritize applications for renter households with income below 50% of the AMI and households with a worker who has been unemployed for at least 90 days before applying. This means that your Rutherford County, TN local program can set lower income limits to make sure the neediest households get help first. Your local program should let you know how their system for prioritizing applications works.
I Own My Home in Rutherford County, TN. Can I Get Help to Cover My Mortgage, Utility, or Energy Costs?
Money from the federal ERA Program is for renters only. But money from the Homeowner Assistance Fund created under the American Rescue Plan Act may also be available. If you’re experiencing hardship as a homeowner, visit our Help for homeowners page to learn about your options.
How Can I Show That I Am Eligible in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Eligibility is based on a Rutherford County, TN renter household’s financial situation and housing needs.
When you apply for emergency rental help, you will be asked to show that your income is eligible and that you’re experiencing housing instability. If you’re a Rutherford County, TN landlord, eligibility is based on your tenant’s household needs, and you’ll be asked to show that your tenant’s household is eligible for assistance.
You must sign a written statement that the information in your application is correct and complete, and that you will use the emergency rental assistance for the costs it is meant to cover.
What Kind of Proof Can I Use to Show My Income in Rutherford County, TN?
Rutherford County, TN local programs have different requirements. They may ask you for a written statement. Or they can ask you to show your income with other documents (for example, unemployment benefits documents, pay stubs, tax documents, a statement from an employer, etc.).
If it’s hard for you to show income or job loss, or if you have a special situation, Rutherford County, TN local programs may let you write out your own statement about your income.
• If your Rutherford County, TN household has no income, or if your employer’s offices have closed, it may be difficult to prove your household income.
• If you have a disability, don’t have access to technology, or have other special needs, a Rutherford County, TN local program may be flexible about the proof they require.
If they do rely on your written statement, the Rutherford County, TN program you apply to needs to review your household income again every three months to make sure you remain eligible.
• Rutherford County, TN local programs might also rely on a caseworker or other professional who knows about your situation to certify that your income qualifies for emergency rental assistance.
• Rutherford County, TN programs have to make sure they are complying with their own eligibility policies and procedures.
• They must also have reasonable procedures in place to prevent fraud.
What Can I Use to Show Rutherford County, TN Housing Instability?
To show Rutherford County, TN housing instability, you may need to sign a written statement. You might also be asked to show:
• A past due utility or rent bill or Tennessee eviction notice.
• Proof that you live in Rutherford County, TN unsafe or unhealthy living conditions.
• Other proof that the Rutherford County, TN program asks you for.
Rutherford County, TN programs can make their own rules for determining if you’re living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and what proof to accept.
How Can I Show Where I Live and How Much Rent I Agreed to Pay in Rutherford County, TN?
When you apply for emergency Rutherford County, TN rental help, be ready to show an agreement signed by you and your Rutherford County, TN landlord that shows where you live and your rental payment amount.
If you don’t have a signed Rutherford County, TN rental agreement or lease, Rutherford County, TN local programs may accept proof of your address and a written statement about your rent, such as:
• Proof that you paid utilities for your Rutherford County, TN home or apartment unit (like a water bill)
• A statement from your Rutherford County, TN landlord, or
• Other reasonable proof as requested
You may also be able to show your Rutherford County, TN rental payment amount with:
• Bank statements
• Check stubs
• Other paperwork that shows regular rent payments, or
• Other reasonable proof as requested
If you give a written statement, Rutherford County, TN local programs may require you to certify that you did not receive – and don’t expect to get – help from a different source to cover the same rental costs. For instance, if your rent is subsidized by a federal agency like the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), you can’t get help from your Rutherford County, TN local program to cover the federally subsidized portion of your rent. But you can get help to cover the part of the rent that you are responsible for.
How Can I Show That I Owe Money for Utility or Home Energy Costs in Rutherford County, TN?
If you apply for help with utilities, be ready to show a bill, invoice, or proof of payment to the utility company or home energy service provider. Rutherford County, TN rental assistance can’t be used to cover any utilities and home energy costs that your landlord normally pays for.
Will My Rutherford County, Tennessee Local Program Send the Rental Assistance to Me or to My Landlord or Utility Provider?
It depends on how your Rutherford County, TN local program works.
In some cases, the Rutherford County, TN program may contact your landlord or utility provider and ask them to accept Rutherford County, TN emergency rental assistance to pay off what you owe. If they do not agree, or if they do not respond within seven days (or within five days, if the program contacts your landlord by phone, text, or e-mail), your Rutherford County, TN local program may be able to give the money to you. Then you must use the money to pay the landlord or utility yourself.
In other cases, your Rutherford County, TN local program might give you the money right away, without first contacting your landlord. Either way, you must then use the money to pay what you owe.
Starting May 7, 2021, landlords who accept direct payments of future rent are not allowed to evict you for not paying rent during the period covered by the Rutherford County, TN rental assistance. When programs make direct payments to landlords to cover back rent, guidance strongly encourages them to prohibit eviction for 30 to 90 days after the period covered by rental assistance.
Rutherford County, Tennessee Special Living Situations
Find out if Rutherford County, TN emergency rental assistance applies to your special situation.
I Was Living Somewhere Else, Earlier in The Pandemic.
It doesn’t matter how long you have been living in your current Rutherford County, TN rental home. If you meet the requirements, Rutherford County, TN emergency rental assistance is available to help you with housing costs that you cannot afford as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I Receive a Federal Rent Subsidy.
If your Rutherford County, TN income has changed, you might qualify for lower rent. Or, you might qualify for a hardship exemption that allows you to skip one or more rent payments. Ask for “income recertification” through your Public Housing Agency (PHA) or landlord. Do this as soon as possible. The change in rent could apply to unpaid rent.
If you receive a federal rent subsidy, such as a Housing Choice Voucher, Project-Based Rental Assistance, or Public Housing, you may still qualify for Rutherford County, TN assistance with the rent or utilities that you are responsible for paying.
I Live in a Manufactured or Mobile Home.
If you live in an Rutherford County, TN manufactured home or mobile home, you can get rental help. You can also get help with rent for the lot that your home sits on, even if you own your manufactured home. Like other Rutherford County, TN renters, you may also qualify for help with utilities or other housing-related expenses.
I Am a Tribal Member Living on Non-Tribal Lands, or a Non-Tribal Member Living on Tribal Lands.
A Tribal member living outside Tribal lands can receive Rutherford County, TN emergency rental help funds from their Tribe or Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE), as long as you are not already receiving assistance from another Tribe or TDHE, or from a state or local government.
I Have a “Rent-To-Own” Agreement with My Landlord.
You can get Rutherford County, TN emergency rental help even if you have a “rent-to-own” agreement with your landlord, as long as:
• You haven’t signed or co-signed a mortgage for the Rutherford County, TN property that you are renting-to-own
• You haven’t exercised an option to purchase the Rutherford County, TN property
I Live in a Houseboat.
Rutherford County, TN rental assistance can also be used to cover mooring fees.
Are You a Landlord or Rental Property Owner in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Have You Suffered Lost Rental Income from the Eviction Moratorium in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Rutherford County, Tennessee Rental Property Landlords: How to Increase Your Existing SBA EIDL Loan
Did you already receive a Tennessee SBA EIDL Loan for your Rutherford County Rental Properties?
We can assist Landlords and Investment Property Owners in requesting additional SBA EIDL loan funds through the increase request and loan modification process in Rutherford County, TN.
Landlords and Property Owners in Rutherford County, TN can schedule a free Disaster Loan Consultation to see if we may be able to help your Rental Property Management Business with the SBA Increase Request Process in Rutherford County, TN.
Rutherford County, Tennessee Landlords: How to Overcome an SBA EIDL Loan Denial
Has your Tennessee SBA EIDL loan been denied for your Rutherford County, TN rental property?
We can assist you in filing for an SBA EIDL loan reconsideration appeal for your Rental Property Entities and Investment Property Portfolio in Rutherford County, TN.
Landlords and Property Owners in Tennessee can schedule a free Disaster Loan Consultation to see if we may be able to help your Rental Property Management Business with the SBA Loan Reconsideration Process in Rutherford County, TN.
If you are a Tennessee Renter or Tenant, forward this article to your Landlord in Rutherford County, TN.
Cover Image Credit: 123RF.com / Goldenbergk / Disaster Loan Advisors.