Indio Council OKs Aid for Those in Immediate Need

Rental payment assistance & water delinquency programs will benefit those in immediate need

INDIO – Help is on the way for residents in immediate need of rental assistance or help paying past due water bills. The Indio City Council approved an additional $755,754 in Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus Funding (CDBG-CV) for new programs that directly help residents because of circumstances brought on by COVID-19.

These funds will pay for a rental assistance program for Indio residents in partnership with Lift to Rise, and a water utility delinquency program in partnership with United Way of the Desert and the Indio Water Authority (IWA).

Of the funds allocated by the City Council at their Jan. 20 meeting, $645,754 is set aside to pay for and administer a rental payment assistance grant program.  Similar to programs already in place through Riverside County, Lift to Rise will help disburse funds to renters in Indio who are in immediate need of help in paying past-due rent.  Approximately 285 households in Indio could see relief through this program.  Information about how to apply for this program is forthcoming.

$110,000 in CDBG-CV funding is earmarked to help eligible IWA customers who have past-due water bills because of issues related to COVID-19.  United Way of the Desert will orchestrate this program, which is an expansion of an existing partnership with United Way, and is expected to help between 450 and 800 IWA customers.  The application for the Help 2 Others COVID 19 Water Bill Assistance Program will be available on Feb. 16.

A previous round of CDBG funding from Indio provided assistance to community partners, including Martha’s Village and Kitchen and the FIND Food Bank, and a free PPE program for Indio businesses and nonprofits.