CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Brevard County has been offering millions in rental assistance for the past month through CARES Act funding, but with a key deadline approaching, some residents in need haven't gotten checks yet because their forms are missing information.

"I took a hit, like everybody, took a hit," said Cape Canaveral's James Romaine, who lost his job a year ago when the pandemic began.

It's been a struggle to get by, especially just to pay the rent.

So when he heard Brevard County was starting up a $19 million emergency rental assistance program last month, he jumped at the chance.

"I think more people should know about it," Romaine said.

"Right now, we have about 500 applications, and the average grant is $2,400," Brevard County Public Information Officer Don Walker said.

But Romaine's form was missing information, and the county sent it back to him.

Walker, the spokesperson, said Romaine is among the 35% of applicants in that situation who have left out required rental info, W-9, or paystub details.

"We are going to try and work with you as best we can, even if there is some incomplete information," Walker said. "But there is a certain threshold where we can't process the grant without having certain items."

Walker added that with the governor's moratorium on evictions ending March 31, the urgency to apply is there. Applications are available in all 17 Brevard County libraries and on its website.