Rental Reimbursements: Many Lack Needed Computer Skills

To enable inhabitants utilize for federal past-owing hire funds, Seminole County opened a computer system lab. It delivers wanted tech products and can help with apps.

SANFORD, Fla. – The federal government’s COVID-19-reduction funding can enable renters pay back past-owing charges, but the application course of action demands some specialized computer system products, these types of as scanners, that decrease-money inhabitants do not have.

In some circumstances, landlords are serving to their tenants full apps, but Seminole County just launched a immediate option: On Monday, County Chairman Lee Constantine reduce the ribbon on a new computer system lab positioned in Sanford. The lab acknowledges a “digital divide” between county inhabitants and offers locals at the decrease-conclude of the divide a position to get the guidance and computer system technology they have to have to utilize for assist.

The lab has five stations to enable with the technology part, and workers who can enable readers fill out apps if they have issues or get baffled. The centre normally takes wander-ins, although it relies upon on room availability.

Cora Yon, program manager for the Seminole’s group providers division, states some persons do not have scanners at property, lots of do not have personal computers, and some have very little practical experience navigating websites. Lab workers can also enable readers if English is their 2nd language.

“We can enable wander them via the application itself,” Yon informed the Orlando Sentinel. “A great deal of it is just persons who do not know how to get the documents in the process. They have a computer system but not a scanner.”

Citizens outside the house Seminole County lots of nevertheless face computer system worries, but they can also utilize for assist on the internet. Florida’s Department of Little ones and People (DCF) accepts apps from tenants and landlords (tenants ought to indication), as properly as utility providers, for past-owing payments on a internet site designed specially for distribution of $850 million in federal restoration money.

DCF states the internet site – OURFlorida.com (Prospect for Utilities and Rental Guidance) – was made as a central hub for data, and it consists of often requested issues (FAQs), auxiliary enable and applications.

For an overview of the program, go to Florida Realtors internet site: Now Obtainable: Landlord Purposes for $850M in Rent Aid

Supply: Caroline Glenn, Orlando Sentinel, July 12, 2021