IHCDA COVID-19 update: A message from Jake
Last week I shared with you information about the Centers for Disease Control’s new order that put a Temporary Halt on Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19 beginning on September 4th. To help landlords, tenants, and courts to better understand this new order, the Landlord Tenant Task Force created by the Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Judicial Administration released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.
If you do not find the answer to your question in the FAQ document, you are encouraged to contact an attorney or other resource for additional guidance. For low-income households, there are a variety of organizations that offer free legal advice. I encourage individuals in this situation to call 2-1-1 to be connected to one of these firms.
I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that applications for Program Year 2021 of the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) will be accepted beginning on Monday, September 14th. I encourage anyone that thinks they might need assistance paying their heat and electric bill this winter to see if they are eligible.
On top of the standard EAP assistance, an additional $350 CARES Act benefit remains available for households who experienced a loss in employment income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More information, including a list of eligibility criteria, can be found by visiting: eap.ihcda.in.gov.
Last month we introduced a new feature on the www.indianahousingnow.org website. A place where Indiana households can subscribe to receive updates about housing assistance resources like energy assistance that become available during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can subscribe to receive these updates here.
Before I close, I want to take a moment to talk about mental health. COVID-19 has caused an enormous amount of stress and anxiety for Hoosiers across the state. And I am pleased that our partners at the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) introduced a new website to help. BeWellIndiana.com provides a wealth of information and resources including free, confidential support with a trained counselor 24/7.
I ask that you please visit this website and share it with your friends and loved ones.
As always, please contact me or a member of the IHCDA team if there is anything we can do to assist you or your organization. We are #INthistogether.
 J. Jacob Sipe
Executive Director
 
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