City Officials Are Optimistic About Rental Assistance Program

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The goal had been July 31, but almost two weeks beyond that date, Springfield residents still don't have a rental assistance program.

Director of Springfield's Office of Planning and Economic Development Val Yazell told WICS, News Channel 20 the issue is "Some bureaucratic red tape that we just have to follow through." The issue is any plan distributing federal money has to follow all of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Failure to do so could result in the city having to pay all the money back

The new goal is to have $400,000 in rent assistance to be distributed by Springfield Urban League ready by the week of August 17. And so far the signs seem promising for this new deadline. The city and the Urban League will sign an agreement this week and Yazell feels there is an 85% chance the deadline will be met.

Source: WICS, News Channel 20