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In an effort to help prevent evictions of low-to-moderate income renters impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) is partnering with the Southeast Nebraska Affordable Housing Council (SENAHC) to help landlords in Cass, Sarpy and Washington Counties impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SENAHC is working with MAPA and Nebraska’s seven other Economic Development Districts to distribute financial assistance to qualified landlords from a Community CARES Grant from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The Community CARES Grant includes $800,000 for direct statewide landlord assistance.  MAPA will be responsible for distributing $100,000.   In addition, MAPA secured another $68,000 in philanthropic funding for the program.  Eligible landlords are those who have documented financial loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lease to low-to-moderate income tenants.

Landlords must meet both criteria in order to participate. MAPA will distribute CARES funds to recoup lost rent or utility payments due to a tenant’s inability to provide a full payment after his or her employment was compromised as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CARES financial assistance may be allocated to landlords in one of two forms, or in a combination of both.  Regardless, landlords are only eligible for up to $10,000 in the form of a straight grant (no personal cash match or payback is necessary). Landlords may apply for up to $2,500 in direct assistance to recoup lost funding as a result of the economic impacts of COVID-19. Otherwise, landlords may apply for up to $10,000 for minor rental unit rehabilitation.  If both forms of aid are needed, it is possible to apply for up to $2,500 in direct assistance and request additional funding for minor unit repairs, not to exceed $10,000 total.

Funding is available on a per-landlord basis, not per-unit. For example, landlords cannot apply for multiple $10,000 grants to address several units; only one rental unit per landlord can be assisted with this program. A unit is defined as a rental property that is tied to one address.

“As the region reopens and recovers from the pandemic, we are grateful for this funding through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to help landlords impacted financially by COVID-19 and, in turn, help their tenants who may be struggling to pay their rent during very difficult circumstances,” said Greg Youell, MAPA Executive Director.

Applications are due to MAPA by Sunday, November 8, 2020.

Click the links below to download the application and additional required documents.

Landlord Assistance Program Application, Attachments & Overview

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the preferred method of submission for applications is via email to Ryan Ossell, MAPA Community & Economic Development Associate Planner at rossell@mapacog.org.

Direct questions to Ryan Ossell, Associate Planner, at ​rossell@mapacog.org as well.