Mecklenburg County emergency assistance.
Charlotte and Mecklenburg County families have access to emergency financial assistance for paying housing costs, rent and energy bills. The county has partnered with the Crisis Assistance Ministry, which provides a number of resources and services on behalf of the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
Emergency utility, electric, and energy bill assistance in Charlotte area
Resources are available for families and individuals who are undergoing financial distress, and programs can help prevent utility disconnections or loss of service. Payments from the assistance program will be made directly to utility companies in North Carolina on behalf of the client. The Emergency Utility Assistance Program is administered by the Charlotte North Carolina headquartered Crisis Assistance Ministry, which accepts applications and distributes funding. The utility program can help with various types of bills, all of which are listed here. If the non-profit can provide you with financial assistance, they can help you apply for LIHEAP or other aid.
Assists Mecklenburg County and Charlotte North Carolina residents who have delinquent water, electric or heating bills. Crisis Ministry will make payments directly to the energy vendors or water companies. They have an extensive application process, and the non-profit makes records available for City of Charlotte review.
The program administers will maintain records (i.e., clients name and address, amount and date of payment) of energy payments made, and your application can be audited.
If the applicants need is too great, they can also refer individuals to other non-profits and government programs, such as LIHEAP and weatherization. A crisis component can help people who run out of fuel, or are faced with imminent disconnection. A special fan cooling assistance program is administered too.
Charlotte and Mecklenburg emergency rental assistance
If you are faced with an eviction, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and other social services which are administered by Crisis Assistance Ministry may be able to help. Emergency rental and housing assistance can be distributed to individuals and families in financial distress, with a focus on preventing evictions and homelessness in the Mecklenburg County community.
The emergency housing and rent program requires the tenant to agree to case management as well as a crisis resolution plan. It also requires that the landlord not to evict the tenant, so the landlord also needs to agree to participate. The landlord also needs to agree to consider rent relief, including forgiveness of late fees, as part of the emergency financial assistance program. The financial assistance and cash grants provided amounts to a maximum of $150 per month for rent for up to 90 days, which implies a maximum of $450 per family per year.
In order to qualify for Emergency Housing and Rent Assistance, tenants must meet most or all of the following criteria:
- They must be faced with a short term, unexpected crisis.
- Applicants need to earn 80% or less of the Mecklenburg County median income, with priority given to persons earning 60% or less of median income, seniors, and families with children.
- Applicants also need to live in unaffordable, substandard, or overcrowded housing or apartments.
- Funding for this rental program is through the Innovative Housing Fund as well as other social services and government grants.
- Individuals or families must be located within the City Within A City area.
- On or eligible for the Charlotte Housing Authority master waiting list.
- Priority for emergency assistance is given to families with children under 15 years of age, seniors, or disabled who may be living in the home.
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