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Family Rehousing Assistance Program

 

About Family Rehousing Assistance Program

The purpose of Family Rehousing Assistance Program (FRAP) is to assist families/individuals (tenant) in obtaining Decent, Safe, and Sanitary (DSS) housing for Cincinnati’s residents by providing services to residents relocated due to building and/or health code violations (Including children with elevated blood levels), or other emergency situations, such as fires.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Tenants

  • Lawful tenants in receipt of a written notice to vacate, issued by the City of Cincinnati, provided those tenants have occupied the housing unit at least sixty (60) days immediately preceding the notice to vacate and have a current lease agreement; or
  • Lawful tenants who are in receipt of a written statement from the Cincinnati Health Department attesting that their current housing unit is substandard due to high lead content; and is occupied by a child six (6) years of age or under, regardless of the length of occupancy.
  • Tenants vacated from housing units with current Vacate Orders that were issued before the tenants’ occupancy are eligible for Family Rehousing Assistance if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
  • Tenants being evicted after filing a complaint with the City of Cincinnati alleging substandard housing.

Ineligible Tenants

  • Tenants who receive a notice to vacate after the landlord has filed eviction proceedings in Court, unless the tenant filed a complaint with the City of Cincinnati alleging substandard housing prior to the filing of the eviction proceedings.
  • Tenants currently in Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority units.
  • Tenants who transfer to a unit under the same Management Agency.
  • Tenants vacated due to overcrowding. · Upon request, ineligible claimants will be given written notice of reasons for rejection of their claim.

Program Guidelines

Payments

a. Family Rehousing Assistance Program (FRAP) Payments can only be used for renting and or security deposits. Checks will be made out to Tenant and Landlord.

     i. Landlord/Tenant (Rent/Deposit)

     ii. Tenant (Moving Expenses)

b. FRAP Payments are based need. The maximum amount of assistance is based on the circumstances.

c. FRAP payments for furnished housing units by the week are eligible can only be used for furnished dwellings. Checks will be made out to Tenant and Landlord.

d. Tenants who rent furnished housing units by the week are eligible for a FRAP payment of $100.00 up to $400.00.

e. Furnished Apartment Moving Expense $75.00.

FRAP PAYMENTS

  • Up to $2,800 total for Deposit and First month’s rent
  • Cost of barriers to housing to include but not limited to:

     - Background Checks

     - Birth Certificates

     - Utility Assistance (3month cap)

     - Transportation Assistance (3month cap)

     - Past due rental obligation preventing new rental opportunities

  • $200 Moving Expenses

The Department of Community and Economic Development and Department of Buildings and Inspections do not intervene in issues of security deposit refund between property owner and tenant. Referrals are made to the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati.

Applications

Housing Specialist Coordinator or designee will:

1. Contact the tenant to see if they are interested in FRAP.

2. Provide FRAP Application

3. Process application once Housing Survey is completed and passed.

4. Submit claim voucher for payment

5. Contact tenant to inform them of their FRAP Application Status.

Tenant Will:

A tenant in need of rehousing has 5 months from the date of their notice to vacate to apply for moving assistance. The following must occur to determine eligibility for Rehousing Assistance:

6. Complete FRAP Application electronically or in person.

7. Provide Identification (State or Government issued picture identification)

8. Provide proof of residency (lease, bill with name and address)

9. Provide tenant with a Rehousing Assistance Application Intent Letter

10. Have New Landlord to complete the New Landlord Form-Property Rental Statement and submit as soon as possible.

11. The tenant then has five (5) months from the date of their displacement to apply for relocation and application to move to a Decent Safe & Sanitary (D.S. & S.) rental unit and file a claim for payment. Extensions must be approved in advance by the Housing Services Coordinator and shall not exceed an additional thirty (30) day period. (Exceptions can be made in extenuating circumstances – cases will be viewed on a case by case basis).

Rehousing Assistance Payments will not be issued unless the replacement housing unit is determined to meet the City of Cincinnati’s Decent, Safe, and Sanitary (D.S. & S) Building Code Standards by City housing inspectors. A signed Housing Survey must be received in order to process check request to landlord and tenant for payment.

Exceptions to the Program Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements may be made during unusual “disaster” situations, as determined by the Department of Building and Inspections Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Division.

Case Documentation

H.U.D. Handbook 1378 Rev. Relocation Policies and Procedures will be followed for case documentation.

More Information

For additional information, please call 513-352-1911.