Late on rent, bills? SC tenants can now apply for millions in COVID rent relief

South Carolina tenants facing financial setbacks due to coronavirus can now apply for $272 million in rent and utility assistance. Applications for the state housing and development authority’s “SC Stay Plus” program went live on Wednesday. You can fill one out through their online portal or by calling 803-336-3420.

Eligible applicants may receive up to 12 months of assistance for rent and utility payments dating back to March 2020. Some may be considered for up to three months of additional assistance to cover future payments.

With a federal ban on evictions set to expire at the end of June, these funds will play a crucial role in keeping South Carolinians in their homes, said Chris Winston, a spokesperson for SC Housing.

“We want to make sure that evictions are not occurring if they don’t need to be,” he said.

To qualify, renters must:

• Have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19

• Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability

• Make less than 80% of the area median income

Preference will be given to:

• Households with an income at or below 50% of the median income

• Individuals who have been unemployed for more than 90 days

• Those whose landlords have already moved to evict them

When the authority launched a separate $25 million rent assistance program back in February, they decided to end application filings after receiving nearly 7,000 applications in just 10 days.

Though demand will still be high, the portal is expected to be open longer because the funding pool is larger this time.

“Instead of rushing to get your application in first, we’re recommending that people take the time to fill everything out completely and provide all the necessary documents,” Winston said.

Applicants will be asked to provide the following materials:

• A signed lease or other document that shows you have agreed to make rent payments

• Proof of income such as 2020 tax returns or recent pay stubs

• Proof of financial hardship, for example an unemployment verification letter

• Proof of housing instability. This may include an eviction notice or a notice of past due rent.

Funding for the program was provided through the Consolidated Appropriations Act that Congress passed in December 2020. In April, South Carolina lawmakers passed a joint resolution outlining how the funds should be distributed.

Residents in Anderson, Berkeley, Charleston, Greenville, Horry, Richland and Spartanburg counties are not eligible for “SC Stay Plus” That’s because those counties received federal funding to launch their own rent assistance programs.

“We’re looking forward to this program really helping out folks in more rural areas of the state,” Winston said.