If you or someone you know needs emergency rental assistance:

• Call 2-1-1 or visit www.211.org. 2-1-1 will connect you to a local call center that can share information about local programs that might be able to help.
• Find your local rental assistance program using NLIHC’s database. More than 1,000 emergency rental assistance (ERA) programs have been created or expanded the pandemic, and Congress has provided $46 billion to help renters remain stably housed. If you haven’t yet, apply right away – it will take time for the money to get to you and your landlords.
• Contact a legal aid attorney. Get further guidance from a legal aid attorney. A list of legal aid organizations can be found here and here.
• Contact your representatives and senators. District office staff often know of available state/local resources, and it’s very important that your members of Congress hear about the housing challenges you are facing.

Indoor Air Quality Grant

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Assistance Program recently expanded eligibility requirements and extended the application deadline. The program provides financial reimbursement for a number of healthcare-related businesses to help cover the costs of air quality improvements made necessary by COVID-19. Eligible entities include nursing homes, assisted living facilities,  hospices, senior centers, substance use disorder residential treatment providers, and more. They must be private employers and be either licensed by the Ohio Department of Health, recognized by the Ohio Department of Aging, certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction services, or certified by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. IAQ will provide reimbursement specifically for inspections, assessments, maintenance and improvements to indoor heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to control the spread of the virus. It also provides funds for secondary devices designed to destroy bacteria and mold. The extended application deadline is now Dec. 31, and eligible expenses include air quality-related necessities that came as a response to COVID-19 from March 1, 2020 to Dec. 31. Applicants can apply for funding more than once, but total assistance can’t exceed $15,000 per entity. If an application is accepted, funds will be distributed electronically within 15 business days. Questions? Please call BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene at 1.800.644.6292, or email grants@bwc.state.oh.us.-