During the height of the winter coronavirus surge, Hamilton County elected not to administer special COVID-19 rent relief funds, instead opting to let the state administer those millions of dollars in economic aid available for struggling local residents.
Hamilton County renters can apply along with people across Tennessee for rent relief through the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. County Mayor Jim Coppinger said the state already had a program to distribute funds, and he believed more money could flow into the county through the state-run program compared to if Hamilton County was given a special fund to administer.
“Ultimately, all we’re trying to do is make it as simple as we can,” Coppinger said. “[The state] was kind of the one-stop shop there, so our people are getting compensated who are entitled to it. And we’re just trying to simplify the process so there’s not so much bureaucracy or [red] tape.”
Coppinger said he has heard of no problems with state administration of the program. But local advocates told the Times Free Press the statewide process is unclear, and few local residents are having success with it.
The county is facing a surge in homeless individuals, and there is growing fear about a wave of evictions for local residents.