Helpful Government Assistance
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, government assistance programs have been working overtime helping people and businesses.
If you’ve been affected by the pandemic and are looking for ways to get help, keep reading below.
This article will highlight the main areas of assistance available to you.
Financial Assistance for People and Families
Unemployment Insurance is a collaboration between the federal and state program that pays part of your wages from a job you lost due to the pandemic.
Each state has its own eligibility requirements, so be sure to read carefully.
Typically you are allowed to submit an Unemployment Insurance claim either by phone or online.
The Federal government has three programs in place to helps people receive benefits:
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
Find the Unemployment Insurance Office in your state.
Subsidized Rental Housing
There are three forms of subsidized rental housing, detailed below.
Privately Owned Subsidized Housing
Individuals find a desired house or apartment and apply for it at the rental office.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV)
With this program, the person finds the apartment or house and then the government pays the amount you qualify for, leaving you to pay the difference.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
This is public housing for people who don’t qualify for Section 8, where you rent from a local public housing authority based on your income.
Government Loans
FHA Loans
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures mortgages that loosen the restrictions for buyers to become homeowners.
To apply for an FHA loan, you need to find an FHA-approved lender, as well as have good credit and be able to pay 10% to 15% down.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Loans
For mortgage loans supported by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has extended the ban on foreclosures.
This also applies to USDA-backed loans.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
WIC supplies low-income women and their young children with food, nutrition counseling, and other social services.
In order to qualify, the mother must be pregnant, nursing, or up to six months after birth with infants. For children, the age requirement is 5 and younger.