Millions In Rental Assistance Paid Out In Winston-Salem; Application Fair This Weekend

Residents of Forsyth County who've fallen behind on rent and utilities have received millions of dollars of assistance in the last few months.

The City of Winston-Salem is holding an application fair this weekend for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).

It's open to all renters financially affected by the pandemic with a household income of 80 percent or less of the area's median. As of Wednesday, $4.3 million of Winston-Salem ERAP funding has been dispersed, or is pending, to over 1,000 households. That's 64 percent of the total funds available.

An application event is being held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the M.L.D. Harris Recreation Center in Winston-Salem. Residents can also apply at the Forsyth County Department of Social Services.

Applicants should bring an ID, proof of income, lease agreement, any bills or eviction notices, and a statement or proof of financial hardship.

Shereka Floyd is the city's Continuum of Care program manager. 

“The last application fair we had a very huge turnout,” says Floyd. “It was for people who didn't know about ERAP. It was also people who came in to just submit documentation or had questions about where they were in the process.”

Over 80 percent of Winston-Salem ERAP recipients so far are Black, and just over six percent are Hispanic. The overwhelming majority of applicants are women.