ECHO, Utility Assistance
*UPDATE 10/2/2024 : Funds exhausted for September, check back November 1st
*Homeless Prevention Program provides assistance to Gadsden, Leon, and Wakulla County households experiencing financial difficulty due to COVID-19
*Eligible households may receive up to $1,200 toward the payment of one month's rent and up to $300 for one utility billing cycle, along with counseling and case management to encourage stability moving forward
*Must be able to verify loss of income or decreased earnings between March 2020 and June 2022; or unplanned health-, employment-, or relocation-related expense due to COVID-19
*An applicant may receive financial assistance for either past due or upcoming rent and utility payments, so long as the total payments do not exceed the $1,500 maximum limit
*The funds will be made payable by check and provided directly to the landlord or utility company
*APPROXIMATE examples of household income that is at or below 30% of the area median income, based on household size as shown: (THESE FIGURES ARE ROUNDED OFF AND NOT EXACT):
*Single person: 19K; 2 people: 21K; 3 people: 24k; 4 people: 27K; 5 people: 29K, 6 people: 31K
*Required Documents: Photo ID (Driverâs License or State ID preferred), One month of paystubs, bank statements, federal benefits letter, or âSelf-certification of Income" form (provided by Housing Coordinator if needed), Current statement or notification of past due rent amount, copy of active signed lease, 3-day notice of eviction (if applicable), landlord-provided ledger of balance owed, current statement of past due utilities amount
*How to apply: People may apply using the form on the website: https://echotlh.
Services: Utility Service Payment Assistance