Helping Hands Hawaii’s Emergency Assistance Program assists with rent payments in the face of hardship

The staff and volunteers at Helping Hands Hawaii are world class, and the organization gets a lot of support from United Way partners, the government and the public. Part of that broad support means that there is often funding available to help families struggling to meet their rent.

The Emergency Assistance Program is a broad case management service that first identifies the challenges faced by lower income Hawaiians. Your many bills, limited income and a recent hardship might make a good argument to support a comprehensive package of emergency assistance.

Included in the Emergency Assistance Program are delinquent utilities (water, electricity) and help with transportation via a bus voucher. The most important aspect though is the help with rent that the agency provides.

Specifically, tenants who are at risk of an eviction and might otherwise experience homelessness may get help paying their back rent. Back rent payments can often convince a landlord to abandon any eviction proceedings and allow the tenant more time to recover from any recent financial hardships. Indeed payments made to the landlord can be a good motivator for them to attempt to honor the remainder of the lease term as spelled out in the agreement.

Homelessness prevention is indeed a major focus of this Emergency Assistance Program. Keeping you in your current home is almost always preferred to an eviction. In the case that you have been evicted, then you may be able to benefit from their Rapid Rehousing Program. Through clever case management, careful use of available funding and by fostering relationships with participating landlords, Helping Hands Hawaii can help your family bounce back from an eviction so that you spend as little time as possible in emergency shelters. All of this is possible thanks to the Good Neighbor Emergency Fund.

Finally, the agency manages an Access to Recovery program which provides residential options for those dealing with substance abuse. As long as you are getting treatment, you may also qualify for a place to stay for the duration of your treatment.

To find out more about the programs and access to rental assistance on each island, call Helping Hands Hawaii at 808-440-3857.