HOLLAND, Mich — The CDC's eviction moratorium is set to expire after December 31, which gives those who are finding it difficult to keep up on rent amid COVID-19 presesures some relief.
The city of Holland has partnered with community outreach groups to compile and easy and accessible resource list for the community.
"During COVID-19 we need to remember the domino effect," Esther Fifelski, Director of Human Relations at the City of Holland said. "If people aren’t able to pay their rent, they usually can’t pay their utilities or have enough groceries."
By connecting with groups like Community Action House for food resources and Lower My Bill for utility aid and Lakeshore Housing Alliance for housing needs, Fifelski said the city is better equipped to serve the community.
In partnership with the city, groups like Good Samaritan Ministries and Legal Aid of West Michigan have helped set up information stations in the Ottawa county courts to help landlords and tenants recuperate.
"Having all of the resources there at the court when a tenant comes in is so vital because you can miss steps, and by having everyone there it provides a more cohesive transition," Fifelski said, "You usually see it only in a particular economic level, but today’s needs what I’m seeing is not only are your tenants asking for assistance, but your landlords are saying 'hey what do I do?'"
While the city has partnered to help residents better find these resources, the individual groups operate independently. Good Samaritan Ministries is working as one of the state's partners to walk residents in need through its Eviction Diversion Program. In addition they are also helping tenants pay off additional back rent through separate grants in their group.
"Up to this point we’ve been able to help at least 76 families. We have sent out checks for $246,000. The stories have been just overwhelming, the stories of people’s lives that have been affected," Jessi Christensen, the organization's COVID Eviction Response Lead said.
Christensen added, her team is working quickly to find more grants and community funding to help those who will still be struggling financially when the moratorium ends.
"Some of these families are still going to be here this December," she said. "It would be really hard to help the amount of people we have if they had gone homeless during this time."
For more information on housing resources in Ottawa County, click here.
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