Under the guidance and direction of DHCD, the Contractor will set up and administer a rental assistance program to provide rental subsidy payments on behalf of income-eligible households. The program design shall indicate that payments would be made to the landlord on the tenant’s behalf. The goal of the contract is to provide rental subsidy payments for 100 income-eligible households over a 24-month period. 2.2 Rental assistance program design and implementation: 2.2.1 Shall set up an application process for applicants to apply in person, online, and by phone. The Contractor shall provide a copy of the proposed application. The application shall require documentation to verify household income, age of the applicants, current lease payments, high housing cost-burden, and residency in Howard County. 2.2.2 Set up eligibility criteria to ensure that housing cost-burdened households, those spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs, are eligible to apply for assistance. 2.2.3 Households with at least one older adult age 62+ are eligible to apply if the household income does not exceed 40% of the Howard County median income limit. A copy of the income chart is included. 2.2.4 The eligibility criteria shall include an asset test to ensure that only low-income households with high housing cost-burdens are served. 2.2.5 Program shall be designed to reduce housing cost burdens for approved applicants to no more than 40% of their household income. Proposed rental assistance payments could be up to $4800 per applicant per year...
