We support low- and moderate-income tenants struggling to maintain their tenancy by working with both landlords and tenants to achieve a mutually beneficial solution that avoids a tenant eviction. Financial and housing counseling is provided to tenants to assist them in resolving their financial hardship or cause of delinquency and strengthen their financial position. Landlords are provided with mediation support and, if appropriate, may be referred to our Homeownership Center for foreclosure prevention counseling and landlord training services.
Individual housing counseling for tenants seeking to stabilize their rental housing or transition to new housing. Services include financial and housing assessments, financial strategies for paying rent, benefits/resource screenings, application assistance for rental relief programs, review of lease terms, housing summary process and tenancy laws.
Workshops designed to help tenants understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants, tenancy laws, managing the summary process, resources and programs that assist with housing stabilization.
With support from partner organizations, we can provide professional mediation services to help tenants and landlords reach solutions. Our focus is on developing strategies to maintain housing stability wherever possible.
LCW’s Community Resource Fund provides monetary assistance to counseling participants to help accomplish a financial or housing goal, or overcome a financial or housing barrier. The fund is designed to strategically fill a gap that will result in significant improvement in financial position or resolve a financial hardship.
Additionally, LCW contracts with the regional community action agency, Community Teamwork, Inc., to process applications for the state’s Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program which provides rental and mortgage assistance. Through the City of Lawrence, we also administer a CDBG-Cares Act-funded rental assistance program for Lawrence residents who are below 80% AMI and experiencing housing instability and financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
For more information or to set up an initial intake appointment, contact rentalassistance@lawrencecommunityworks.org.