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Direct Housing Assistance Program

Get financial help to pay your home's rent or mortgage

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Wilder's Direct Housing Assistance Program provides financial relief for you and your family, allowing you to focus on your self-identified goals and prevent your household from entering a crisis. Upon approval of the application and supporting documents, Wilder sends direct payments to your landlord or mortgage company on your behalf for up to 12 months, paying a maximum of $3000.00 in financial assistance ($350 for the first 6 months, $200 for 3 months, and $100 for 3 months).

The Direct Housing Assistance Program is currently available to all existing Wilder clients and participants and their immediate family members (parent, grandparent, child or sibling). Translation services are available upon request (email dha@wilder.org).

If you are a current Wilder client or participant and want to apply to join the Direct Housing Assistance Program:

Contact your Wilder provider for more information
Send an email to dha@wilder.org requesting additional information OR
Keep scrolling and apply online here!

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Check Program Eligibility Requirements

You or your family member is a current client or participant in a Wilder service or program when you apply.
You currently rent at market rate or are a homeowner with your name listed on the mortgage deed.
You are not receiving housing subsidy like Section 8, government/public housing, Common Bond, etc.
You have not participated in this or any mortgage or rental assistance housing programs at Wilder in the past 12 months.
You are able to provide required, supporting documents like identification for all adult (18+) household members, lease or mortgage deed, income verification and COVID-19 employment impact statement from employer.
You have not been employed by Wilder in the past 90 days. Current Wilder employees are not eligible to apply.
You meet yearly income guidelines by household size. Your household's combined income requirement include but is not limited to wages/earned income, self-employment, child support, SSI/SSDI/RSDI, retirement, MFIP.

Check Yearly Income Guidelines by Household Size

Household Size	Minimum (per year)	Maximum (per year)
1	$15,624	$54,950
2	$17,856	$62,800
3	$20,088	$70,650
4	$22,320	$78,500
5	$24,120	$84,800
6	$26,784	$91,100
7	$29,016	$97,300
8	$31,248	$103,650
9	$33,840	$109,900
10	$35,712	$116,180

(Adjusted FY2021 Federal Poverty Guidelines at 80%)

Check Program Expectations

You are encouraged, but ARE NOT required to continue engaging and/or participating in services with the referring program to be eligible to receive financial assistance through this program.
You are expected to maintain and/or increase their existing income prior to program exit.
You must remain in your current housing placement at program entry unless you unable to due to a safety hazard being presented.
You are expected to remain lease abiding as articulated in original lease terms and, expectations.

Applications that meet the program requirements, and are accompanied by the required documentation, will be entered into a lottery. Applicants will be notified in writing of the status of their application within thirty (30) days via United States Postal Services.

Before you start on your application, please:

Take Your Time: This application will take a minimum of 30 minutes to complete; please give yourself sufficient time to complete the entire application as you are unable to save any information and return at a later time.
Have Supporting Documents Ready: To complete this application you will need to upload the following documents; photo identification (state/government issued identification), housing verification (lease, mortgage purchase deed, etc), and income verification (paystubs, receipts, bank statements, income taxes for self-employed).

Click the button below to start your application. When you are done, please be sure to click "Submit My Application" for it to be sent to Wilder. If you have any questions and/or concerns along the way, please email us at dha@wilder.org.

Start My DHA Application

When COVID affected finances, Direct Housing Assistance helped Pam’s family avoid crisis

Pam and her husband are homeowners with a large family. They were greatly affected when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and their work hours were reduced. Wilder staff worked with Pam through a challenging process to ensure she could obtain housing assistance, paid directly to her mortgage company, giving the family some breathing room in their budget during a tough time.

“The relief Pam showed gave us a greater appreciation for Direct Housing Assistance, and the big picture of how families’ lives can transform with this 12-month program,” says Antonia, who manages special initiatives in Wilder’s supportive housing services.

The initiative is just one way that Wilder provides responsive services with and for clients even when many funding streams have specific requirements for how services are delivered. I’m excited about the commitment of Wilder and the community to continue finding ways to serve the needs of whole families.

Nona Ferguson, Vice President, Economic Stability and Aging Services

Antonia Coleman

Program Manager - Special Initiatives, Supportive Housing Services

Melissa Schultz

Administrative Assistant, Rent Tech, Supportive Housing Services

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Direct Housing Assistance Program

Get financial help to pay your home's rent or mortgage

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