Louisville Metro Government will begin accepting and processing applications for both the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants and Eviction Prevention COVID-19 Relief Fund beginning on July 1.
According to a news release, the funding for the two new programs comes from federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, & Economic Security) Act money, with each program receiving $21.2 million toward their mission.
Small business assistance
The Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants program, administered by Louisville Forward, will provide up to $50,000 to small businesses with the goal of helping prevent business closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 50 percent of the program funds would be dedicated to businesses in in low-to-moderate income census tracts.
Businesses meeting the following criteria will be eligible for a grant:
- Businesses with 20 full-time employees or fewer as of March 16, 2020
- Non-retail businesses with 50 full-time employees or fewer that have remained closed or whose business activity have been severely restricted under state executive order dated March 25, 2020
- Businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Businesses must be located in Louisville/Jefferson County
- Businesses must be in good standing with Louisville Metro Revenue Commission
Eligible expenses include payroll, utilities, mortgage/rent, fixed costs, such as interest on debt service and insurance, and technology to allow for online sales. Funds will be disbursed in three payments and recipients will be required to report proof of grant expenditures.
Businesses will be required to submit the following documentation:
- 2019 tax return, personal and business
- W-9
- Documentation demonstrating negative impact of COVID-19 to your business
- Current record of financial condition of the business, including a profit & loss statement and balance sheet
- Vendor Questionnaire
- Proposed six-month budget for use of funds
- Louisville Metro Revenue Commission business number
- Proof of ownership of business, including any disadvantaged status (certification not required)
To find out more information and apply, click here.
Eviction prevention
Eviction Prevention COVID-19 Relief Fund aims to aid low-to-moderate income households that are delinquent on rent payments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will pay for up to three months of rent for households facing COVID-related delinquencies.
Individual households may begin applying for rental assistance through the Office of Resilience and Community Services immediately. To be eligible, households must earn at or below 60 percent of the area median income ($45,840 annually for a family of four) and have had their income impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Households can begin the
Beginning July 1, Landlords may apply for assistance on behalf of their tenants to the Office of Housing. To be eligible, the landlord must:
- Be currently registered on the Rental Registry.
- Have no outstanding code violations for the property for which rent is being paid.
- Waive all late fees, fines, and penalties.
- Forgo evictions for assisted tenants for 60 days after assistance is provided.
- Provide pre-COVID-19 rent rolls to document delinquency rates before and after the pandemic.
Funding will be prioritized for affordable housing units (households at or below 60% of area median income) or properties with more than 50% of their units in the Housing Choice Vouchers Program.
Landlords will be required to submit the following documentation:
- Information about the property, including its tax ID number, ownership and delinquency rates
- W-9
- An eviction prevention application worksheet
- Certification of non-payment of rent signed by each tenant for whom assistance is requested
- Copy of each tenant’s ledger for whom you are claiming to be reimbursed for delinquencies
- Copy of Recorded LURA or Recorded Deed Restriction
- Accounts Receivable Report for period January 1, 2020 to current
- Copy of Final 8609 (if a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit project)
- Executed and Notarized Landlord Tenant Rental Assistance Certification
To find out more information and apply, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/develop-louisville/eviction-prevention.
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