National County Government Month Department Spotlight- Human Services

Our first department spotlight for National County Government Month goes to the Pike County Office of Human Services, led by Executive Director, Robert Ruiz!

The office provides many programs to the community including:

Mortgage Assistance
Rental Assistance
Utility Assistance
Safe and Healthy Homes
Housing Accessibility
Housing Rehabilitation
Landlord Incentive Program
Homeless Assistance Program
Fair Housing
Human Services Development Fund
State Food Purchase Program

The Office of Human Services has also assisted local municipalities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, distributing more than $6.2 million to date.

Child Care Scholarship Program
One newer program the Office of Human Services offers is a Child Care Scholarship Program. Child care scholarships are available for families who live in Pike County and use a licensed childcare provider, have household income below 80% of the area median- up to $63,100 for a family of four, and have financial need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible participants may receive up to six consecutive months of assistance with child care payments.

This project is financed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the administration of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.

Housing Rehabilitation
Pike County assists income-eligible homeowners with the cost of essential repairs to make their home safe. These repairs may include roof replacement, repairing steps and handrails, replacing plumbing or electrical systems, and other essential repairs.

The Housing Rehabilitation program has a waiting list and is not accepting new applications from homeowners. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) also offers programs to assist homeowners with rehabilitation costs.

Landlord Incentive Program
The Landlord Incentive Program was created as a result of a housing study recently prepared by Diana T. Myers & Associates which found that there is a shortage of affordable housing in Pike County and that Pike County has the highest fair market rents in Pennsylvania.

This program is intended to help landlords create or maintain affordable housing in Pike County. In exchange for up to $25,000 of assistance with eligible repairs, landlords who participate in the program will agree to rent units to households with income below 80% of the area median and to charge rent at or below the fair market rent – currently $1,368 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Contractor Training Incentive
The Contractor Incentive Program is a new program for contractors. Approved construction firms that submit their qualifications to Pike County for housing rehabilitation projects will be eligible for up to $500 toward the cost of lead certification training.

To qualify for the incentive, contractors must be licensed as a home improvement contractor with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, have at least three years of experience doing residential rehabilitation, and meet other eligibility criteria. Pike County will pay up to $500 toward the cost of completing an accredited EPA-approved Lead Renovator Certificate Course – either initial or refresher – after construction firms’ qualifications have been received and approved. This incentive is limited to the first 30 respondents. Contractors that benefit from this incentive agree to respond to bid requests from the county.

Mortgage Assistance Program
Another program offered by the office is the Mortgage Assistance Program. This program was established for homeowners who reside in Pike County, are behind in mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have income less than 80% of the area median- up to $63,100 for a family of four. Homeowners can receive up to three months of assistance with mortgage payments.

Rental Assistance Program
Another program available is the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Qualifying renters in Pike County who have experienced hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for ERAP funds to help with rent and utility costs.

ERAP funds may be used to assist tenants with up to 12 months of rent and utility expenses incurred between March 13, 2020 and the time of application. ERAP funds may also be used to assist tenants with forward costs for rent and utilities in three-month increments. Landlords may also apply for this program on behalf of their tenants.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was included as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 which provides $25 billion nationally for pandemic-response rental assistance. Pike County received $3.8 million of ERAP funds, which are administered through the Pike County Human Services Department. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Fair Housing
Pike County has a new Fair Housing Hub on the Office of Human Services website, Pike Forward. The Fair Housing Hub offers educational resources for renters, homeowners, landlords, affordable housing developers, and members of protected classes. The Office of Human Services will also be offering a fair housing educational program for landlords in May 2022.

Food Assistance
The Office of Human Services purchases food for food pantries and soup kitchens. They also refer people in need of food assistance to food pantries. Later this year, they will be partnering with Wayne County to increase the amount of fresh, healthy foods in food pantries and to educate the community about food assistance programs.

Nonprofit Recovery Fund
The Pike County Nonprofit Recovery Fund will provide up to $25,000 to organizations headquartered in Pike County that are legally recognized as a nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service and have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding can be used for operating expenses, capital improvements, or fundraising activities.

Applications will be reviewed by a committee and scored according to community and organizational need, benefit to the community, leveraged funds, and organizational capacity and sustainability. The Pike County Commissioners expect to provide a total of at least $150,000 to local nonprofit organizations through this program. Applications for this program are due on April 30 at 5 p.m.

Additional
For additional information on the office or any of its programs, visit www.pikeforward.com, or contact Executive Director, Robert Ruiz at 570-296-3434 or rruiz@pikepa.org.