Six local nonprofit organizations are launching the Hawaii County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program (RMAP) and applications should be available to the public through these organizations starting Monday, August 24, 2020.

RMAP nonprofit partners encourage Hawaiʻi Island residents who are at least 18 years old and lost income or work hours due to COVID-19 to prepare ahead to apply.

RMAP is funded by the County of Hawaiʻi with Federal CARES Act dollars and will provide a rent or mortgage payment of up to $1,000 per month for an estimated 1,445 households that income qualify and can prove hardship due to COVID-19 for each month they receive assistance from March 2020 to December 2020.

Funding will be limited to households' primary residence on Hawaiʻi Island. Households will be limited to one grant of up to $1,000 per month.

Applications will be processed by six Hawaiʻi Island-based nonprofits and payments will be made directly to landlords, property managers or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants will also have access to financial counseling services. The Hawaii County RMAP nonprofit partners include:

• Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA)/Hawaii Community Lending (HCL)
• HOPE Services Hawaii (HOPE)
• Hawaii First Federal Credit Union (HFFCU)
• Neighborhood Place of Puna (NPP)
• Hawaii Island Home for Recovery (HIHR)
• Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island (HFHHI)

Households who have been impacted by COVID-19 and have a past due rent or mortgage notice are encouraged to apply at one of the nonprofit partners. Persons without internet access or a computer are encouraged to call one of the RMAP nonprofit partners to request a paper application or to complete an application over the phone.

Please see the Individual Grants for Housing Assistance section of the Hawaiʻi County Coronavirus Relief Fund website for contact information, eligibility details, and required documentation.

Department of Research and Development - www.hawaiicounty.gov/CARES