Williamson County Commissioners approve Wilco Forward Phase 3 to help with rent, utility assistance

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - The Williamson County Commissioners Court has approved agreements for Wilco Forward Phase III to help provide rent and utility assistance to residents in need through partnerships with local nonprofits.

According to the county, terms of agreement were approved between Williamson County and The Caring Place, The Salvation Army, and the Round Rock Serving Center.

Phase III is funded with $5 million from a combination of Community Development Block Grant funds and the approximately $93 million the County received in federal CARES Act funds. 

“Now that we have assisted thousands of small businesses in our community, it is important to turn our attention to supporting the residents in Williamson County that have been dealing with the financial burdens COVID-19 has caused. We hope this assistance gives those in need some relief,” said Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey.

RELATED: Williamson County launches Wilco Forward program to help businesses during COVID-19 pandemic

The three agencies will serve as conduits for assistance and will be reimbursed by the County for rent assistance and/or utility assistance provided to residents across Williamson County between March 1 through Dec. 30 for a total of up to $5 million. The County will monitor the total amount of funds spent to date so that the Phase III budget is not exceeded.

The following criteria must be met in order to be eligible for assistance:

• All residences assisted must be located in Williamson County 
• Up to the rent amount based on the lease agreement plus late fees for up to a total of 3 months  
• For approved applications, the applicant must request additional funds after the first month of assistance on an as-needed basis 
•  Up to $1,500 of utility assistance per residence on an as-needed basis 
• Applicant must show evidence that assistance is needed due to issues caused by COVID-19

RELATED: Wilco Forward program issues more than $33.2M in grant checks

Each agency will handle the application and vetting process in its service area, along with issuing checks directly to the landlord, property management company, or utility company. The following are the service areas for each entity:

• Round Rock Area Serving Center: Round Rock, Austin (within Williamson County), Brushy Creek/Fern Bluff MUD, Hutto areas outside of Georgetown ISD 
• The Caring Place: Georgetown, Andice, Bartlett, Florence, Granger, Jarrell, Jonah, Schwertner, Walburg, Weir, Hutto areas within Georgetown ISD 
• The Salvation Army: Cedar Park, Coupland, Leander, Liberty Hill, Taylor, Thrall, and all other areas of Williamson County not served by the other two agencies 

Residents will have to reach out directly to the agency serving their city to be able to request financial assistance.

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