The cutoff to apply for utility and rent relief funds from the City and County of Honolulu will be June 30 as federal funds left to distribute run out.

The city’s Rental and Utility Relief Program began in April 2021 and aimed to distribute more than $225 million in pandemic-­related federal funding. Eligible households can receive up to $2,500 monthly in relief funds and stay enrolled in the program for up to 18 months. So far, the city reports distributing aid to about 12,000 households.

However, like many rent relief programs across the country, the amount of federal funds left to distribute to families is beginning to run out.

The city will accept applications for up to 18 months of rent and utility payments until 4:30 p.m. June 30. However, of that 18 months, only three months can apply to future rent. For example, a new applicant could qualify for 15 months of past-due rent and utilities and also qualify for three months of future rent.

There is about $30 million left to distribute, according to the city Office of Economic Revitalization, which runs the Rent and Utility Relief Program.

“We have a steady flow of new applicants, but it’s in the hundreds weekly,” said OER Director Amy Asselbaye.

“I’m not surprised because of inflation and increasing costs of rent, but given that the pandemic relief program has been around as long as it has and we continue to receive new applications, it’s concerning that people continue to have issues covering their household bills,” she said.

Those who are already receiving rent relief usually have to go through a recertification process every three months. Those recertification applications will also need to be submitted by the June 30 deadline.

That means, because people can recertify only one month before the current funding expires, those who received funding in May, and have June and July covered, will not recertify for more funds.

The city contracts with Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to process applications and administer funds to landlords. Asselbaye said that they are instructed to prioritize first-time applicants over those being recertified but will make adjustments depending on need. For example if a household trying to get recertified is under immediate threat of eviction, they might take priority over a first-time applicant.

“We’re trying to make sure that the community has the information ahead of time so they don’t think they’re going to get funded and then suddenly we’re like, ‘Oh no, we’re out of money,’” she said.

“What we’re trying to do is wind down this program in an organized way so that those people that apply by June 30, we can cover that, and then that expectation is set so people clearly understand what we can and cannot do based on the availability of funds.”

Simultaneously, households are beginning to max out on rent and utility relief as they can only stay on the program for 18 months, which includes back rent. That means if a family was seeking four months of unpaid rent, they could continue to stay on the program for only 14 months.

So far, there have been 900 households to reach that threshold.

“What we’re trying to do to address that is get what we call housing stability services,” Asselbaye said.

“So that’s case management, ongoing eviction diversion, like with the Mediation Center of the Pacific and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, as well as financial literacy workshops, as well as housing counseling, and then just general social serv­ice information and referrals.”

The city is trying to set up more of those housing stability services in conjunction with Catholic Charities and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, some of which Asselbaye estimated would be available in July.

“It’s based on their ability to hire,” she said.

“When you’re talking about case management, you’re talking about a social worker. You need someone who has a professional license to be able to do that.”

Some of the other programs, such as financial literacy information, are easier, Asselbaye said, because Catholic Charities and CNHA already have people who can do that.

The city is still waiting for more possible funding from the federal government, but when that might come is unclear. Earlier this year the city did receive about $1.8 million in additional funds that the federal government had recouped from less effective programs, in addition to another approximately $15 million.

During Tuesday’s City Council Housing and Economy Committee meeting, Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram said the administration would gauge Council interest in putting more funds into the program.

Those who want to apply for rent and utility relief for the first time should visit oneoahu.org/renthelp. However, those who are trying to get recertified should write to Catholic Charities at rurphelp@catholiccharitieshawaii.org or CNHA at rurp@hawaiiancouncil.org, depending on which organization provided the initial rent or utility relief.