Ask for Short Term Help to Find or Keep Housing . . .
A look at the program...
The Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) offers financial help and services to residents who are homeless or living in an at-risk household. This program is only for those who need short term help to find or keep rental housing.
This program is funded by the federal Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Fund listed in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program starts Monday, October 12, 2009.
The head of household must be 18 years of age or older.
All household members must be U.S. citizens.
Have a credible and verifiable plan for remaining stably housed within three (3) months, if you receive help.
If you are already receiving assistance from another federal, state, or local housing subsidy program (e.g. Section 8, HOME, HOPWA), you will NOT qualify.
Have a gross income for the entire household that is at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), as shown below:
Federal Income Guidelines:
Persons in Household
Gross Annual Household Income
1
$20,700
2
$23,700
3
$26,650
4
$29,600
5
$31,950
6
$34,350
7
$36,700
8+
$39,050
In addition, you must be included in one of these two categories:
Homeless, defined as one of the following:
Sleeping in an emergency shelter
Sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation
Staying in a hospital or institution for up to 180 days, but literally homeless immediately prior to entry
Graduating from or timing out of transitional housing, or
Fleeing a domestic violence situation
About to become homeless for one of the following reasons:
You must move because you:
Are aging out of foster care
Live in condemned housing or are facing pending foreclosure of rental housing
Have a severe housing cost burden (greater than 50% of income for housing costs)
Lack reliable transportation, and you need to be closer to job
Are doubled up with another family, couch homeless or high overcrowding
You are facing a recent reduction or loss of income. You must be able to prove that you are at risk of homelessness.
You are faced with recent, unforeseen and legitimate paid expenses. You must be able to prove that you are at risk of homelessness.
* Note: All rental units must be in compliance with the HUD standard of “rent reasonableness”. If children under the age of 6 are in the home, the rental unit must pass a lead-based paint inspection. If moving into new housing, the rental unit must pass a habitability standards inspection.”
What does the program offer?
Financial assistance includes:
Payment of rent or back rent payments (up to 3 months)
Payment of a security deposit
Payment of utility bills or back utility payments (up to 3 months)
Payment of utility deposits
The following rules apply:
The financial assistance amount each household receives is determined by Health and Human Services.
This is NOT a utility assistance program. If you are not homeless or about to become homeless, you will not qualify for services. Utility assistance is available 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.
Supportive services to prevent homelessness or repeated episodes of homelessness, include:
Helping households resolve current housing crisis
Helping households plan for the future so they do not have another housing crisis
Referring at-risk households to community programs
How do I apply?
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 one of our offices to complete a pre-screening. You will also review what paperwork to bring when you apply. 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, your name will be added to a wait list. You will be contacted when an appointment becomes available.
647 1st Ave. N. - gmap
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 582-7585
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.
You must provide a Consent & Authorization form signed by every member of your household over the age of 18. This form is available for you to print online to bring it already completed with you to your first appointment.
Birth certificates for all minor children in the household
Social Security cards
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 provide court order)
Pay stubs or letter from employer about future income
Unemployment insurance benefits
Worker’s compensation
Welfare assistance
Regular contributions or gifts (monetary or other) received from persons outside of your household
Proof of assets – Examples:
Past 6 months of checking account statements
Most recent savings account statement
Non-homestead property
Retirement/401 K funds
Stocks, bonds, trusts
Lease agreement
Most recent rent and utility bills
Proof of a credible plan for remaining housed within 3 months, if you receive assistance
Proof of homelessness or risk of homelessness
What if I still have questions?
Please call our Clearwater office at (727) 464-8452 or our St. Petersburg office at
(727) 582-7585.
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 seniors, hundreds of community resources are highlighted. Examples include nutrition sites, senior ride programs, volunteer opportunities, senior housing, legal help and much more.
A look at the program...
signed by every member of your household over the age of 18. This form is available for you to print online to bring it already completed with you to your first appointment. 
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