Changes are coming to North Dakota’s pandemic emergency rent and utility assistance program – or ND Rent Help. Health and Human Services will phase out the program starting May 1st in favor of targeting those at risk of homelessness.
Since September 2021 ND Rent Help has impacted over 17,500 lower-income households to the tune of $112 million dollars. HHS Housing Stability Director Nikki Aden says “We have distributed these pandemic relief dollars to people living in communities across the state.”
The program has made more that $225,000 individual payments at an average amount of $682 per month for rent and $137 for utilities. HHS and other community partner agencies will continue to assist North Dakotans struggling to afford housing by connecting them to traditional financial assistance programs.
HHS still has approximately $40 million dollars in direct assistance available – much of which has already been obligated to more than 5,000 current program participants. Executive Director Jessica Thomason says “We believe this program successfully put federal funding to work to keep people adversely affected by the pandemic in their homes and prevented further crisis related assistance needs.”
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