Help for Wichita renters hits $1.4 million so far; city works to dig out of backlog
More than two months into its new emergency rental aid program, the city of Wichita has approved more than $1 million in funds for almost 9% of applicants but expects to pick up the pace in the coming weeks.
The Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance program opened the online-only applications on Feb. 22, funded by federal money from the economic stimulus bill passed in December. When the legislation set aside dollars specifically for rental assistance, the city created its program, dubbed WERAP.
“It’s taking some time, and it is unfortunate,” said Sally Stang, director of housing and community services for the city of Wichita. “But we’re working hard to get the money out and verify what we have to verify. If they can hold on, I suspect in the next couple months we’ll be past that backlog.”
Out of more than 1,000 applications the city first reviewed, only one renter initially provided all the requested documents, which include proof of COVID-19 related economic impact and demands for payment.
“It does take a lot of interaction to get everything,” Stang said.
The city also had a difficult time hiring more staff, she said. However, with new employees on board now and finishing up training, Stang expects the pace to pick up for reviewing applications.
In the past couple weeks, eight new staff members joined the team, for a total of 21 people currently working to look over WERAP applications. Of those, 14 are temporary employees.
By the numbers
As of Monday, more than 3,400 people in Wichita had applied for the emergency rental aid. The city’s housing and community services department is working through the first 1,050 applications while it tries to move residents off the waiting list.
So far, the city has deemed 345 renters in Wichita eligible for the housing assistance for a total of $1.4 million in aid, out of the current $12 million in program funding.
Some of those residents have already had past due bills paid out from the program while others have payments queued up for future assistance. One of the unique features of WERAP is that it can pay forward bills at least three months into the future, Stang said.
Of the $1.4 million approved for payment, $1.1 million is already paid to cover past bills and about $300,000 is reserved for future payments.
The program has made 2,026 monthly rent payments to landlords in the city from approved renters.
Some renters withdrew their applications and 237 were found ineligible. That could mean an applicant did not provide more information as requested or did not respond. Some applicants lived outside Wichita city limits and were therefore ineligible, as Kansas has its own statewide rental assistance program.
The program payments average about $5,000 per household and can also cover utilities, said Stang.
While applications flowed in during the opening days of the program in February, the stream of renters seeking help through WERAP has slowed down now, Stang said.
About 1,500 people applied to WERAP the first day it opened. Now the city is averaging about 12 applications a day.
What to know if you’re waiting
The city won’t ask you for more information until your application is removed from the waiting list, said Stang.
If you applied in April, you should expect to hear from the city within a couple months.
The city also sends a weekly email update for applicants still on the waiting list. When you are pulled from the waiting list, the city will send a notice to your landlord that staff will reach out soon. People are pulled off the waiting list every Wednesday.
Eviction prevention
In order to be eligible, a renter must still live in a unit. If you have recently left your unit, you can’t receive the emergency funds.
However, most tenants on the brink of eviction are covered by a statewide moratorium in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly reinstated the prior ban on evictions.
For now, tenants should still be covered under the national eviction ban in place from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A federal judge threw out the CDC’s moratorium on evictions, but placed a temporary hold on the ruling in the meantime.
If you qualify, you must sign the CDC document and present it to your landlord.
However, “We are still seeing families being evicted,” Stang said. “Because people have to be making partial payments or attempts. If not, they are not covered by the moratorium.”
The Kansas eviction moratorium will expire May 28 unless it’s extended again.
“We won’t know until the moratoriums expire what true wave of evictions there are,” Stang said.
Future funding
The March economic stimulus bill, the American Rescue Plan Act, also included money for emergency rental aid.
Wichita will receive about $9.2 million earmarked for that purpose, which will also go into the WERAP program to serve more people. The city has additional time, until September 2026, to use the money. The current funds expire in September 2022.
The requirements and application process will remain the same.
“At the rate we’re going, we’ll be fully expended by the end of this year,” Stang said. “We’ll be jumping into round two by the end of this year if things keep going the way they’re going.”
Visit wichita.gov/WERAP for more information and to apply online.
This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 4:51 AM.
