TAMPA, Fla. — The Rental & Move-In Assistance Program (RMAP) is now accepting new applicants from the City of Tampa after closing the program earlier this year.
The Housing & Community Development division is accepting online applications from people seeking rental, move-in, or security deposit assistance. The portal will be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
"We hear the call for help and are working as quickly as possible to get qualified, local renters the help they desperately need to pay their rent bill," Mayor Jane Castor said.
The initiative was started in March of this year. The City's general fund first provided $1 million to launch the initiative and later provided another $4 million to assist more people.
RMAP has approved an additional $1 million for the program for 2023, bringing the total amount of funds to $6 million.
Approximately 500 completed applications were submitted for the program soon after it began accepting participants, and more than 3,500 people joined the waitlist. Over 200 of the 500 completed applications were accepted.
"Most of our housing programs are funded with state and federal dollars, but in times like these, we are carefully crunching the numbers and applying a generous portion of the City's general funds to expand our potential and help more people. We have made remarkable progress and are eager to keep moving forward," Mayor Jane Castor said.
Qualified households are eligible for up to a year of assistance, with the typical award value hovering around $10,000. For the first 200 approvals, $1 million of the program's cash will be set aside.
For more information on the program and to see if you're eligible, head to their website.
