Housing Access for Washtenaw County June 2022 Update

6/22/2022

Welcome to the Housing Access for Washtenaw County’s Monthly News Update. This post contains valuable information about HAWC’s programs and updates on our impact.

CERA Program Eligibility Updates

The CERA program is a rental assistance program which is designed to keep Michigan residents who fell behind on their rent during COVID-19 in their homes. HAWC and SOS Community Resources (SOS) have worked in tandem in the last year to allocate assistance to many households in Washtenaw County. In January, the eligibility requirements changed, resulting in many applications across the county being denied. However, the eligibility changed again in April, making some tenants eligible once again under the new eligibility. If your application was denied and you believe you may be eligible again under the new guidance, please submit a recertification to your original application using your original CERA number on the CERA Portal. HAWC & SOS appreciate your understanding in this ever-changing landscape.

The CERA portal closes JUNE 30TH, 2022 AT 9:00 P.M.
NO NEW APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED PAST THIS DATE & TIME.
Please see the recent press release regarding the portal closure.

To be eligible for the CERA Program, you now must:

Have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AND
Have rental arrearages between MARCH 13, 2020 and MARCH 30, 2022, OR have a court summons and complaint for arrearages after MARCH 30, 2022 AND
Your household’s income must be at or below the threshold

In addition to your application, you will also need to provide:

A copy of your lease agreement & proof of rent owed
A Michigan ID
A 2020 or 2021 tax return
Proof of income

You may still be eligible if you cannot provide proof of income or ID

STAFF URGE YOU TO FILE YOUR CERA APPLICATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AS THE CERA PORTAL WILL BE CLOSING IN JUNE AND NO NEW APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR CERA ASSISTANCE. HAWC and SOS staff will only be able to process existing applications in the portal past that date until funds are entirely spent down.

To APPLY for CERA

Apply through the CERA portal. If you do not have access to a computer or are unable to complete this application online, please complete the paper application and send the required documentation, as well as the completed application to HAWC.CERA@usc.salvationarmy.org or drop off your application to the Salvation Army at 100 Arbana Dr in Ann Arbor.

Download the CERA Initial Paper Application (for new applicants - English)

Download the CERA Solicitud del Arrendatario (for new applicants - Spanish)

Download the CERAطلب المستأجر (for new applicants - Arabic)

Download the CERA Recertification Paper Application (for returning applicants)

If you are not eligible for CERA, but are still behind on your rent

HAWC may still be able to help if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

Your household’s income must be at or below the threshold
You must have some threat of eviction

If you believe you are eligible, call HAWC’s Intake Line at (734) 961-1999. Please be patient as you wait for a return call from HAWC. Call volume is very high and staff is working through a backlog as quick as possible.

SOS Community Services is able to help triage calls related to CERA applications (and some other questions about available resources.) Call (734) 485-8730 for assistance.

If you are facing eviction but are not behind on rent

Visit Michigan Legal Help’s website
Call Legal Services of South Central Michigan at (734) 665-6181 or ask to speak with an attorney in court
Be sure to attend every hearing in person or via Zoom.

To check the status of a pending CERA application

Reach out to your assigned CERA caseworker, if you have one already
Check the status via the CERA Portal by selecting “Check App Status”

*If you receive a court summons, YOU MUST attend court to do your part to prevent against an eviction. If you do not attend court, you may receive a default judgement for eviction. If you are evicted, the CERA program is no longer able to assist you with rental arrearages. Make every effort possible to attend court or notify the court if you are unable to attend.*

HAWC Intake Updates

Our HAWC Intake Staff is responsible for being the initial point of contact for all those experiencing a housing crisis in Washtenaw County. Our intake staff is currently working extremely hard to manage the required capacity. Please be patient with our staff as they navigate these understaffing challenges. We are happy to announce that we are currently training 3 additional intake staff to help manage the needs of our Washtenaw County Community. Additionally, calls are being prioritized in a fashion developed in partnership with the county based on information left in voicemail messages, so we cannot provide a timeline on when clients will get a return call. We do ask, however, that the client is detailed in their voice message so we can prioritize accordingly. HAWC staff is working as quickly as possible to try to resolve the situation caused by a change in phone providers.

Ways You Can Help!

Understand that you may not be able to speak with someone immediately. By leaving a clear voicemail message with your name, contact information, and a brief description of your housing need, our intake staff will be able to return your call in the order it was received.
Refrain from calling intake to check the status of your CERA application. Check the status of your application online at the CERA Portal or by contacting your caseworker if you have been assigned one.
Callers should be prepared to complete an intake when they reach out to the intake line. For example, clients calling for family shelter should be prepared to provide full Social Security Numbers and should have all adult members of the household present at the time of your call.
Be aware that housing resources in Washtenaw County are extremely limited and we may not be able to assist all callers with a housing need.

Questions? Contact Us!
HAWC.Washtenaw@usc.salvationarmy.org
HAWC Intake Line: (734) 961-1999 | Mailing Address: 100 Arbana Dr Ann Arbor, MI 48013

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