Hawai‘i County Launches Rent, Mortgage Assistance Program

Department of Justice file image.

The Hawai‘i County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program (RMAP) was launched Monday with the help of six local, nonprofit organizations.

RMAP nonprofit partners are encouraging Hawai‘i Island residents who are at least 18 years old and lost income or work hours due to COVID-19 to prepare ahead to apply. Program applications will be available starting Monday, Aug. 24, at 8 a.m.

RMAP is funded by the county on the strength of Federal CARES Act dollars and will provide a rent or mortgage payment of up to $1,000 per month for an estimated 1,445 households that qualify based on income. Households must prove hardship due to COVID-19 for each month they receive assistance between March and December of 2020. Funding will be limited to households’ primary residence on Hawai‘i Island. Households will be limited to one grant of up to $1,000 per month.

Applications will be processed by six Hawai‘i Island-based nonprofit partners and payments will be made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants will also have access to financial counseling services. The Hawai‘i County RMAP nonprofit partners include:

• Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA)/Hawai‘i Community Lending (HCL)
• HOPE Services Hawai‘i (HOPE)
• Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union (HFFCU)
• Neighborhood Place of Puna (NPP)
• Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery (HIHR)
• Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island (HFHHI)

Households who have been impacted by COVID-19 and have a past due rent or mortgage notice are encouraged to apply at one of the nonprofit partners. Persons without internet access or a computer are encouraged to call one of the RMAP nonprofit partners to request a paper application or to complete an application over the phone.

RMAP Qualifications

To qualify for rent or mortgage assistance grants, applicants must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a Hawai‘i Island resident.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Lost income or work hours due to COVID-19.
• Have a current annual household income at or below 100% of the area median income for the number of members in the household.

Household Members: Max Household Income*

• 1 person: $58,400
• 2 persons: $66,700
• 3 persons: $75,000
• 4 persons: $83,300
• 5 persons: $90,000
• 6 persons: $96,700
• 7 persons: $103,300
• 8 persons: $110,000
• *Add $8,300 for each additional household member

Required documents that must be submitted with applications to be considered:

Proof of Resident and Age

• Copy of photo ID.

Income Documents for ALL household members (provide all that apply)

• Thirty days most recent pay stubs.
• Two months most recent business bank statements (if self-employed).
• Unemployment or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefit letter.
• Public benefit statements.

Housing (provide one of the following)

• Copy of rental lease/contract.
• Copy of mortgage statement.

Proof of Hardship (provide one of the following)

• Thirty days of pay stubs for February 2020.
• Unemployment or PUA approval letter.
• Letter from employer verifying job loss or reduced work hours.
• Business bank statements for January and February 2020 (if self-employed).

Housing Assistance Need (provide one of the following)

• Past due rent notice.
• Past due mortgage notice.

For more information or to apply, contact one of the RMAP nonprofit partners listed above.