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Committee moves $1 million to Impacted Tenants Fund to help tornado‑displaced renters
Summary
Board Bill 93 was advanced by the Budget and Public Employees Committee to transfer $1,000,000 from Grama settlement funds into the city's Impacted Tenants Fund to cover relocation costs for tenants displaced by tornado‑damaged or unsafe housing.
The committee advanced Board Bill 93 to move $1,000,000 from a Grama settlement account into the Impacted Tenants Fund, a program designed to provide one‑time relocation assistance for tenants displaced by unsafe housing conditions or tornado damage.
Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, sponsor of the measure, said the funding was first proposed during the spring budget process and had been delayed because FEMA and administrative pauses left the program unfunded. The bill directs $1,000,000 to the fund and officials told the committee Employment Connections will accept applications and administer payments once the city finalizes application and verification steps.
Adam Pearson of the Department of Human Services said the program will verify eligible applicants by working with the building division to confirm units are uninhabitable or otherwise unsafe. Payments will be one-time and sized to HUD fair-market rent for the unit's size; recipients can use funds for relocation costs. Employment Connections will receive paper applications initially and process verifications prior to payment.
Committee members asked why the program had not been operational. Staff explained earlier delays were administrative and tied to setting up accounts and revenue sources; the department and Employment Connections committed to launching the program within weeks and receiving applications on paper at first.
Motion and vote: The committee voted to give Board Bill 93 a due-pass recommendation; the motion carried with no objections recorded in committee.
What’s next: Staff said Employment Connections and DHS will finalize the applicationform and begin accepting applications and verifying eligibility. The committee requested updates on the first disbursements.
