Smyth County assistance programs.

Find rental assistance and help with other bills

Residents can receive short term rent help and support from the Helping Overcome Poverty’s Existence Inc. (HOPE) organization. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal stimulus funds are being provided from the Homelessness and Rapid Re-housing Program, which is authorized through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The federal government money will be used to help families and individuals who are renters who are struggling with their rent, facing eviction, or are close to being homeless to keep their homes. These additional resources will help them stay in their homes.

The primary mission of HOPE’s is to improve the housing conditions of local residents, and reduces factors that are contributing to poverty in Southwest Virginia. The organization seeks to enable lower income and disadvantaged families find achieve solutions for staying in their homes and also sustain affordable housing.

The office is located in Wytheville, and HOPE covers the Virginia jurisdictions of Wytheville and Wythe County, Carroll County, Smyth County, Bland County and Galax. Find other Virginia HUD foreclosure/housing agencies.

There are some condition to getting assistance. Eligible families for the program need to be at or below 50 percent of the area median income and the family must be facing eviction, must be either currently homeless or at-risk of losing their homes. The assistance is forever either, and the family must be recertified every three months to continue receiving rent help.

They can also offer other aid, such as utility bill assistance, mortgage payments, and help with security deposits.

They are located at 680 W. Main Street in Wytheville, Virginia. Call (276) 228-6280

 

 

 

Marion Outreach Services (call (276)783-7337) is another option for the low income. Churches and other charities and non-profits can refer people to this facility. Among services and resources include emergency fund that can provide limited financial assistance with covering certain expenses such as medicine, utilities, health care and medical bills, transportation, heating oil, household bills, food, clothing, cooling bills, and household goods and products, all of which are given to those who are income eligible.

An agency that provides a number of solutions is Smyth County Social Services. Located in Wytheville Virginia. But the agency provides more than foreclosure and housing help. The non-profit agency has a number of counselors who are providing free counseling, financial crisis assistance, referrals to government assistance (both federal and Virginia) and more. For example, access resources such as assistance to Needy Families, Government Food Stamps, Medicaid, Health Care, and State Local hospitalizations. Social Service programs run by this county agency are child and adult protective services, custody investigations, foster care to children, adoption services, adult services adoptive and foster home studies, adults and nursing home screenings and placement. Crisis support is offered from fuel and heating bill assistance based on total household income and number of persons in the household. Call (276)783-8148.