VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Finally, Steven Raimondi is starting to get back on his feet after months of lost income — but the Daytona Beach renter says he’s still a ways off from fully stabilizing.

“It’s hard to climb out of a hole once you’ve gotten a little too deep in,” Raimondi said. 

What You Need To Know

  • Volusia’s ERA program allows for flexibility, up to 12 months of rental assistance

  • So far, a majority of ERA recipients are no more than six months behind on rent

  • While applications remain closed for now, the county is expanding staff and preparing to reopen the portal ASAP

After losing two cooking jobs during COVID-19 due to medical issues and the pandemic’s financial fallout, Raimondi said he was close to losing his housing.

He managed to catch up on last month’s rent, thanks to friends who reached out after seeing his previous interview with Spectrum News. 

“They’re struggling too, so the fact they could even come up with anything was amazing,” Raimondi said.

But now, he’s behind again for September. Raimondi’s landlord is being patient with him, he said, as he begins a new part-time gig at Subway. He also just got an offer for a residential waste management position that starts at $130 a day. 

Still, Raimondi wishes he could benefit from some of the emergency rental assistance Congress approved to help keep people stably housed during the pandemic.

He applied to Our Florida, he said, but never heard anything past an initial confirmation that his application was received.  And he’s never been able to access Volusia County’s program; the application portal filled within three hours last time it opened in July and remains closed until further notice. 

Volusia County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve recommendations for its emergency rental assistance program (ERAP), a federally-funded assistance program for renters and landlords struggling due to COVID-19.

Council members had previously voted to limit the maximum amount of assistance time to six months, but decided to give the county’s community assistance division more time to review program data and federal guidelines.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council members discussed the importance of the program’s flexibility, so the county can effectively support households and prevent future homelessness.

“There’s nothing that’s going to be more expensive than having people become homeless,” said Council Chair Jeff Brower. “Just the tragedy of having that in our community, we don't need to add to it.”

County staff emphasized how they regularly refer vulnerable residents to other services, like child care and job training, that can help stabilize families beyond merely avoiding their most urgent fear: an eviction.

Under program guidelines, households facing an immediate eviction can receive an additional $7,000 beyond the maximum 12 months of rental assistance they’re eligible for. That extra stipend may cover expenses like court fees, security deposits for future housing, or even act as an incentive for future landlords who may be hesitant to rent to someone with an eviction on their record.

Although the program guidelines allow for up to 12 months of rental assistance if needed, the vast majority of recipients have been six months behind or less, county staff said.

Currently the program remains closed to new applicants while county staff continue processing existing applications. Community Assistance Director Dona Butler said Tuesday morning they’ve hired six new staff members since the City Council met earlier this month, and are working to fill two open positions this week. 

“We’re really close to being fully staffed,” Butler told council members Tuesday. “Now that you approve this, we’re going to train staff and get everybody moving towards working on these applications.” 

Butler said the county will publicize the reopening of its ERAP portal ahead of time. In the meantime, Raimondi’s just trying to work hard and keep his head up.

“Just staying motivated and trying to climb out of this little hole I fell into,” he said. “And just maintain a normal, middle-class life, I guess.”

The ERAP2 recommendations that passed 7-0 Tuesday are as follows:

  • A six-month cap on assistance for households that are either not behind on rent yet, or fewer than three months behind. That six month cap includes both past and future rent.
  • A twelve-month cap on assistance for households that owe more than three months in past rent, including up to three months of future rent. Households actively facing an eviction will also be eligible for up to $7,000 in other types of assistance from the program, including:
    • Rent or rental bonds (paid to court to avoid an eviction order)
    • Hotel costs — not to exceed $1,500 a month for a maximum of three months
    • Application or screening fees — not to exceed $600 total
    • Rental security deposits — not to exceed two months of rental assistance
    • Landlord incentive — not to exceed one month of rental assistance

Molly Duerig is a Report for America corps member who is covering Affordable Housing for Spectrum News 13. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.