Apply for Short-Term Help During A Financial Emergency . . .
A look at the program...
The Family Homelessness Prevention (FHP) program offers temporary relief to families with minor children as they work at reestablishing financial self-sufficiency. This benefit is available to qualified households once every three years.
To qualify, your household must meet the following criteria:
Household must consist of a family with minor children or a pregnant woman in her third trimester.
Household must live in Pinellas County.
Household must be at imminent risk of homelessness for one of the following reasons:
You must move because you are doubled up with another family, couch homeless, or high overcrowding.
You are unable to pay rent because of a recent reduction or loss of income.
You are unable to pay rent because of a recent, unforeseen, and legitimate paid expense.
You must move because you are living in a hotel or motel
You must move because you are living in condemned housing.
You must move because you or your landlord are in the final stages of foreclosure.
You are unable to pay rent because you have a severe housing cost burden (greater than 50% of income for housing costs) and need to move to more affordable housing.
Household must not have other housing options or other resources/support networks.
Household must have a gross income that is at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) and assets that are within the program limits, as shown below:
FHP Income and Asset Limits
Persons in Household
Gross Monthly Household Income
Gross Annual Household Income
Asset Limit
1
*Pregnant woman in 3rd trimester only
$1650
$19,800
$500
2
$1883
$22,600
$550
3
$2121
$25,450
$600
4
$2354
$28,250
$650
5
$2546
$30,550
$700
6
$2733
$32,800
$750
7
$2921
$35,050
$800
8+
$3108
$37,300
$850*
*Add $50 for each person over 8
You must also be included in one of these three categories:
Note: All rental units must be in compliance with the HUD standard of "rent reasonableness". If moving into new housing, the rental unit must pass a habitability standards inspection. If moving and children under the age of 6 are in the home, the rental unit must pass a visual lead-based paint inspection.
What does the program offer?
Housing stabilization services, which may include:
Payment of past due rent
Payment of a security deposit
Payment of utility bills scheduled for shut-off
Payment of utility deposits
Bus passes
Case Management
The following rules apply:
The duration and amount of financial assistance each household receives is based upon need and determined by Health and Human Services.
This is NOT a utility assistance program. If you are not at risk of homelessness, you will not qualify for assistance throught this program. Utility assistance is available only as needed to supplement rental assistance provided to those who would be homeless but for this assistance.
This is NOT a foreclosure prevention program. Mortgage assistance or payments for mortgage refinancing are not provided.
How do I apply?
To apply for Family Homelessness Prevention program, please take these steps:
Review the information provided in the "Do I Qualify?" section of this website to determine if your household may be eligible for this program.
Call or walk-in to one of our offices to complete a pre-screening. If you appear to be eligible, an appointment will be scheduled for you to complete an application with a case manager. Appointments will be scheduled within two weeks. If no openings are available within two weeks, you should call each day to check for openings
Health & Human Services locations - ready to serve you
647 1st Ave. N. -gmap
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 582-7781
The eligibility determination process begins at your first appointment with the Case Manager. This process can take up to 4 – 6 weeks and receiving an appointment with a Case Manager does not guarantee that you will receive assistance. The Case Manager will notify you once the eligibility determination process is complete.
What paperwork do I need?
Take a careful look at the documents you must bring for every member of your household on your first trip to our office.
Photo ID or proof of age for all adult household members
Birth certificates for all minor children in the household
Social Security cards for all household members
Proof that you are a Pinellas County resident:
Any one of the following may be accepted, as long as it includes the city of your current residence:
Voter registration card
Current driver's license or Florida I.D. card
Bank statement with current address
Employment record or pay stub
Rent receipt or lease agreement
Motor vehicle registration or title with current address
School record
Utility bill – examples: landline telephone, electric, water, or gas
Proof of income that should be received in the next 12-months – Examples:
Award letters from the Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration
Child support/alimony (must show payment history for last 90 days)
Pay stubs or letter from employer about future income or Employment
Verification Form
Unemployment insurance benefits
Worker's compensation
Welfare assistance
Proof of regular contributions or gifts (monetary or other) received from persons outside of your household or Regular Contributions Form
Proof of assets – Examples:
Most recent bank statement for any open checking or savings account
Non-homestead property
Retirement/401 K funds
Stocks, bonds, trusts
Lease agreement and copy of eviction notice
Copy of utility shut-off notice if applicable
Proof of the unforeseen event that caused you to fall behind on the rent (if applicable)
What if I still have questions?
Please call the St. Petersburg office at (727) 582-7781 or the Clearwater office at (727) 464-8400.
What if I’m not eligible for this program?
Please ask us for information and resources or return to the home page of our website to review the qualifications of our other programs that provide financial assistance.
You may call 2-1-1, Tampa Bay's 2-1-1 Call Center, or visit www.211tampabay.org. To help families, hundreds of community resources are available. Examples include child care referrals, family counseling, community voicemail, case management help, transitional housing and much more.
A look at the program...
. To help families, hundreds of community resources are available. Examples include child care referrals, family counseling, community voicemail, case management help, transitional housing and much more. 
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