Off the News: Rent, utility relief now available

Ready, set, apply! At 2 p.m. today, the city is reopening its Rental and Utility Relief Program portal, to help eligible Oahu residents struggling to pay their bills. Applicants’ household income is limited at 50% of annual median income (for a family of four, up to $62,950 annually).

And be quick. Today’s reopening comes after a first round closed after just four hours, due to overwhelming demand; today’s portal will shut after 4,000 applications come in. The program is funded with $114 million in federal COVID relief money. For info and to apply, see oneoahu.org/renthelp.

Care home residents get bit of a break

A reprieve, hours before the facility was to have been shut down on Friday, brought sheer relief to residents of Dignity Senior Living at Oceanside Hawaii in Hauula.

Health officials had revoked its license due to findings of neglect, but the facility operators have requested a hearing to contest the revocation, and the state extended the order to move residents out until May 31.

Ideally there would be some solution to avoid the upheaval — but at least the move now can be less wrenching.