United Lift launches mobile pop-up events to help locals apply for $3,500 in rental assistance
As News Channel 3 has previously reported, there is a $33 million fund that exists locally to help Riverside County residents struggling to pay rent due to the pandemic.
Lift to Rise, one organization involved is now hosting mobile pop-up events to help residents through the application process.
“It’s helped us a great deal because due to COVID, my husband has been laid off since March,” said Aidee Barajas, who has received rental assistance through the program.
If approved, applicants can receive $3500 per household in rental assistance. The payments are made directly to landlords.
Heather Vaikona, the CEO of Lift to Rise, says if you’re experiencing any of these hardships right now, you could be eligible too: “loss of job, loss of hours, increase in healthcare costs, or increase in childcare costs.”
“If your child is attending a school and that school has closed down and you are now responsible for caring for that child and you as a result can work less hours, that is also considered financial impact,” said Esperanza Mendez, communications specialist, Lift to Rise.
Lift to Rise says they’ve already helped hundreds of people. And now. they’re hosting mobile pop-up events where people can come in-person and have a representative walk them through the application and get approved on the spot.
“Essentially you can have your application down start to finish here in this location as well as our other mobile pop up locations,” said Mendez.
These mobile pop-ups are happening in different cities and locations across the valley in the coming weeks.
“We’re making sure everyone knows this is available especially now during the pandemic. Many people are still getting unemployment which is not enough,” she said.
All they ask is you bring a face mask, socially distance on site and come prepared with the documents you’ll need for approval:
- A form of identification
- Proof of a rental agreement and
- Proof of a covid-19 related hardship.
They say people can apply regardless of income level or immigration status.
Those interested in applying can also go to www.unitedlift.org or simply call 211 as long as you’re within Riverside County.
“Sometimes folks will say things like, ‘I’d rather that someone who might be worse off than I am take that assistance or use that support,’ and really what we need to recognize is that when we’re all stable it has an amplifying and a magnifying impact,” added Vaikona.
United Lift rental assistance mobile pop-up events are currently planned for the following dates and locations (dates and times after October are subject to change):
