A Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery was allocated to the County of Kauaʻi in response to the April 2018 flooding event.  The draft Action Plan for Disaster Recovery is available for public comment beginning July 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 @ 4pm.  The Public Notice published in The Garden Isle Newspaper on June 30, 2020 provides more information. The public is invited to provide written comment on the draft Action Plan for Disaster Recovery via email: disasterrecovery@kauai.gov, fax: 808-241-5118 or mail: 4444 Rice Street, Suite 330, Lihue, HI 96766 by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2020.

LĪHU‘E – The Kaua‘i County Housing Agency and the Office of the Mayor are implementing a new program that offers emergency rental, mortgage, and utility assistance.

“This program can provide payments of up to $1,500 per month for a maximum of three months to cover rent, mortgage, and utility payments for low- to moderate-income Kaua‘i residents who have suffered a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami.

The County of Kaua‘i is partnering with Family Life Center and Mālama Pono Health Services to implement this program.

For more information and to apply for assistance, please contact these non-profit organizations directly. Family Life Center can be reached at 212-0850; Mālama Pono Health Services can be reached at 246-9577.

News Release : Housing Agency, Mayor Kawakami announces emergency rental, mortgage, and utility assistance program

Effective Monday, June 15th, the Kaua‘i County Housing Agency's Rental Assistance Division will reopen for limited walk-in service at the Rice Street entrance of the Pi‘ikoi Building, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

• In person meetings between existing clients and Rental Assistance Caseworkers will still require an advance appointment.
• To make your appointment please call: 241-4440.
• Please observe social distancing protocols and keep at last six feet of separation between others.
• All members of the public will be required to wear a face mask. Those without a mask will not be permitted to enter the building.

Although reopened to limited in-person public service, the general public is encouraged to continue to use mail and electronic communications to complete their business with the Housing Agency as much as possible.

For all other inquiries you may call: 241-4444

In accordance with Mayor's COVID-19 Advisory #5, the Housing Agency is currently operating on a modified schedule of 10-hours (6:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) 4 days a week (MONDAY-THURSDAY), closed FRIDAY.

To better serve you, please contact our offices during these days and hours.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Housing Agency June 8, 2020

Many in our community have faced job loss as a result of the Covid-19 Emergency. This sudden loss of income has left many deeply concerned about how they will pay for necessities and the roof over their heads. During the Covid-19 Emergency, the County Housing Agency has adopted a policy of no evictions from County owned properties, and no foreclosures of County issued mortgage loans. Additionally, the County will waive any late fees for missed or untimely payments. These forbearance policies will continue until July 23, 2020. When this emergency is behind us, we will work with our tenants and holders of County loans to work out reasonable payment plans that keep folks in their homes and rentals. In addition, all recipients of rental assistance through the County who have suffered a loss of income are encouraged to contact the Housing Agency at 241-4440 to file a change of circumstance form documenting your loss of income. In most cases this will enable the County to increase your rental assistance to help cover your lost income. Although the County Housing Agency is not open for in-person visits, we are still working by phone to serve  our clients.

Beyond these County actions, the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) contains protections for many homeowners and renters. Under the CARES Act servicers of federally backed mortgage loans (FHA, USDA, VA, HUD Section 184a, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac) are prohibited from initiating any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure actions, from moving for foreclosure judgment or order of sale, or from executing a foreclosure related eviction of foreclosure sale between March 18, 2020 and May 17, 2020. Borrowers of federally backed mortgages experiencing financial hardship due to Covid-19 may request forbearance from their loan servicer for up to 180 days. You should contact your loan servicer directly to request forbearance. With regard to renters, until July 26, 2020, property owners with federally guaranteed loans or participating in federal housing programs, are prohibited from filing for eviction or charging any additional fees for unpaid rent. Property owners with federally guaranteed loans or participating in federal housing programs may not issue a notice to vacate until July 26, 2020. Renters seeking additional information or assistance should contact the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i or a HUD approved housing counselor. You can find the nearest HUD counselor by calling 1 (800) 569-4287. Please note that these County and federal actions provide protections from foreclosures and evictions, for County properties and loans, and with regard to properties with federally backed mortgages. These protections do not necessarily cover all mortgages and tenant situations. The County, however, encourages landlords and private mortgage companies to similarly show forbearance to tenants and borrowers who find themselves in financial hardship. It is also important to understand that while these policies are near term protections from evictions and foreclosures, tenants and homeowners will still be legally responsible for unpaid rents or loan payments that accrue during the Covid-19 emergency. But the County and federally backed loan servicers will work with you to establish reasonable repayment plans to keep our community housed.

Workforce Housing Nexus and Financial Feasibility Analysis for the County of Kauai

The Kaua‘i County Housing Agency Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program announces it will be accepting applications for its Section 8 HCV waiting list starting at 8 a.m. on  May 15, 2019, until further notice.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List