Apartment Association Outreach provides cash rental assistance in Cincinnati and Covington

Apartment Association Outreach was created from the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Apartment Association (GCNKAA) to serve the needs of families dealing with financial emergencies. Basic needs, including housing are provided to those who qualify for assistance.

In cases where a household is approved for rental assistance, an appropriation of up to $500 may be paid directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant. With average rental assistance of $331 per family, this can be a boost to a struggling household that finds itself falling behind on rent payments.

The agency serves both struggling tenants who are at risk of eviction and landlords who need the rent payments to cover expenses on the homes plus a certain amount of income. By providing a cash infusion, it may be enough to allow the tenant to get caught up on their rent, hopefully within the next month or two.

Apartment Association Outreach relies on the Welcome House in Covington, Kentucky and the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, Ohio to assess the needs of a family and to actually disburse the payments. Of course, applicants are also evaluated for eligibility to receive other helpful benefits, including donations of food and school supplies for dependent children.

If you qualify for rental assistance, a payment could be made within 48 hours. This could make the difference if you are facing an eviction. It should be noted that a payment will only be made if your case manager determines that it would help you be able to stay in the rental property permanently.

This means that they are willing to help if something happened that caused a temporary hardship, but that you are otherwise able to afford your normal rent payments going forward. If you are chronically unemployed or suffering from some other long-term hardship, a one-time payment would likely only delay the inevitable.

Even if you are struggling with permanent hardships, you can still benefit from meeting with a case manager. They may be able to connect you with other resources that can help you make a permanent change for the better.

Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents should call the Freestore Foodbank at 513-357-4600 to schedule an assessment. Covington and Kenton County tenants can contact the Welcome House at 859-431-8717. You are not alone and you can get help!