rent help offered in lee county - 5/9/2009

news-press offers tips on rent assistance

Paying for essentials, such as rent, has become increasingly difficult for growing numbers of Lee County residents as the recession deepens.

Those in need of such assistance have several governmental agencies and community organizations to turn to for help. Requests for that help have skyrocketed during the past two years, say officials with the agencies and organizations that operate the assistance programs.

About 6,375 households sought such assistance from the county Department of Human Services' Family Self Sufficiency Program in fiscal 2006, said the program's manager, Kim Hustad. That number jumped to roughly 8,755 in fiscal 2008 and about 10,200 requests are expected during this calendar year.

That same scenario has played out at the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades counties, which helps coordinate and support governmental and community human service programs. The call volume rose about 65 percent from 2007 to 2008 and continues to rise, said the organization's president, Cliff Smith. About half those calls have to do with rent, mortgage or utility payments.

What you need to know

- Seek help as soon as the need arises and don't wait until your landlord is going to evict you. Start early in contacting agencies and filling out the paperwork.

- Talk to your landlord about your situation. Be honest with him or her. Try to renegotiate to lower your rent or skip a month or two. Sometimes it's cheaper for the landlord in the long run to take less now rather than finding new tenants.

- If possible, find a roommate to help share the rent.

- Cut costs wherever you can. Get rid of luxuries. Make housing and food your budgetary priorities.

- Be aware that rental payment assistance has eligibility standards and may also require participating in budgeting or life planning classes

Where you should go

- Lee County Department of Human Services' Emergency Assistance Program: People can visit the office between 8 a.m. and noon. The office is located at 2440 Thompson St. in downtown Fort Myers. They can also call 533-7900 and leave a message with the name and phone number. A staff person will return the call within 24 hours to conduct an eligibility screening interview.

- United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades: Call the assistance hotline by dialing 211 or 433-3900. A staff person will conduct a brief, preliminary intake interview and refer the caller to the appropriate agency or organization.