COVID-19 Local Resource Guide

Q&A on financial assistance
The state of Vermont Agency
of Commerce and Community
Development answers common
questions about financial assistance
available to individuals who may
need help paying bills.
Is any kind of immediate
financial assistance available for
individuals?
A federal stimulus package
includes direct one-time payments
to most Americans. The direct payment
will provide $1,200 payments
to adults with annual incomes up
to $75,000, plus another $500 per
child. For most Americans, the
money is likely to arrive in April via
the direct deposit information as
indicated on your 2019 tax return,
or by check through the mail if no
direct deposit information was
provided in your tax return.
What should I do if I am unable
to pay my utility bill?
Contact your utility provider to
let them know that you are having
financial trouble related to Covid-19
emergency. While payment terms
may be adjusted, charges will still
accrue, and arrangements must be
made to pay the amounts owed. Providers
of natural gas, electricity or
land-line telephones are not permitted
to disconnect services during
this time. Additionally, Comcast,
Consolidated, Sprint, AT&T and
some other internet and cell phone
service providers have pledged to
maintain services to customers.
Contact your provider about their
policy. Charges will still accrue, and
arrangements must be made to pay
the amounts owed in full.
What can I do if I don’t think I
will be able to pay my taxes?
On March 21, 2020, the U.S. Treasury
Department and the Internal
Revenue Service announced that
the federal income tax filing due
date has been extended from April
15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. The Vermont
income tax filing due dates for
the following taxes have also been
extended from April 15, 2020 to July
15, 2020:
• Vermont Personal Income
Tax
• Vermont Homestead Declaration
and Property Tax
Credit Claims
• Corporate Income Tax
• Fiduciary Income Tax
Taxpayers may file and pay these
taxes before July 15, 2020, without
penalty or interest. Although the due
date for filing has moved to July 15,
taxpayers who are able to file now
are encouraged to do so, especially
those who are expecting a refund.
The Vermont Department of Taxes
remains able to process to returns
and refunds in order to get money
back into taxpayers’ hands as soon
as possible.
Some Vermonters are eligible
for free federal and state tax filing.
Am I?
You may qualify for free federal
and free state online tax preparation
and e-filing if:
Your Adjusted Gross Income
(AGI) is $69,000 or less and
You are age 51 or younger or
You are eligible for the Earned
Income Tax Credit, or
Your Active Military for Adjusted
Gross Income (AGI) is $69,000 or less
More information is available
at tax.vermont.gov/individuals/
free-file.
Do I have to pay rent or mortgage
this month?
If you can afford it, yes. If you are
having trouble making ends meet
due to the Covid-19 emergency, contact
your mortgage service provider
or landlord regarding the terms of
your payment. While terms may be
adjusted, homeowners and renters
remain responsible for making payments
in full.
Federal law prohibits foreclosures
on all federally-backed mortgage
loans for a 60-day period beginning
on March 18, 2020. Up to 180 days of
forbearance will be provided to borrowers
who have a federally-backed
mortgage loan who have experienced
a financial hardship related to
the Covid-19 emergency.
Can I be evicted for non-payment
of rent?
No, evictions have been temporarily
paused in Vermont until 30
days after the governor terminates
the State of Emergency by declaration.
The Senate unanimously
approved the measure to freeze
evictions and foreclosures in its
bill, S.333, passed April 10. Vermont
courts already largely halted evictions
during the Covid-19 crisis after
it declared a judicial emergency on
March 16, which suspended all
non-emergency court proceedings,
until at least May 31, 2020. If you
have received a Writ of Possession,
contact Vermont Legal Aid at 1-800-
889-2047 for assistance.
My tenants cannot pay rent and
I am unable to pay the mortgage on
my rental property. What do I do?
Multi-unit property owners
should contact their mortgage service
provider if they unable to pay
their mortgage. Federal law provides
up to 90 days of forbearance for
multi-family borrowers with a federally
backed multi-family mortgage
loan who have experienced a financial
hardship.
What do I do if I need emergency
housing?
Contact Vermont 211, a 24-hour
hotline for help obtaining emergency
housing, shelter and other
resources and services.
May I sign a long-term lease
(more than 30 days) on a new
apartment or house?
Long-term rental leases are allowed.
Moving and moving services
are also allowed, so long as social
distancing guidelines are followed.
For more information visit accd.
vermont.gov/Covid-19/individuals
Additional financial
resources in
Rutland County:
BROC Community Action in
Rutland helps residents across south
western Vermont with access to food,
housing and homelessness, fuel and
utilities, justice and economic development
to create a path forward out
of crisis or poverty, so our neighbors
and communities thrive. Visit broc.
org.
Rutland Housing Authority is still
accepting applications for housing.
Call 802-775-2926 or visit rhavt.org.
Homeless Prevention Center
has closed its office but is working
remotely by phone. Homeless in
Rutland County? Call 775-9286 or
visit hpcvt.org.
Vermont 2-1-1 is the statewide
referral agency that provides listings
of financial and other assistance
agencies by county. Consumers
can find out what agencies in their
area provide financial help call 2-1-1
or visit vermont211.org or text your
zip code to 898211 or email info@
vermont211.org.
The Fuel Assistance program can
help consumers pay part of their
home heating needs whether they
own their home or rent an apartment,
pay for heat directly or with the
rent. Visit dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/
fuel-assistance.
Economic Services Division
offers emergency and general assistance
to individuals and families
to meet their emergency basic
needs. This may include help paying
for personal needs and incidentals,
housing (e.g., mortgage, rent, room
rent, temporary housing), fuel and
utilities, medical, dental, prescriptions,
medical supplies/equipment
and/or burial costs. Benefits are paid
directly to the vendor, with the exception
of personal need items, which
are paid on an EBT card. To find out
if you are eligible, apply! Call 1-800-
479-6151 (ask for the Rutland County
district office.)
Social services
Courtesy of the MINT Makerspace
Rutland Regional Medical Center ordered 10,000 face
shields like this one made at the The MINT in Rutland.
Resources, funds available
to Rutland County
businesses, non-profits
Staff report
The Rutland Economic Development Corporation
(REDC) can provides assistance to area businesses that
have been impacted as a result of Covid-19.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working diligently
for all of you to better understand the impacts of
Covid-19 as the situation develops,” wrote Tyler Richardson,
REDC executive director, and Kim Rupe assistant
director, in a letter to area businesses April 16. “We’ve
been reaching out to our business members to check in
with them, hear the impacts they’re facing, and see how
we might be able to help in the near and long term...
“We’ve been working with USDA to approve REDC’s
Covid-19 Emergency Loan Program leveraging funds
through our existing Revolving Loan Fund. Be on the
lookout for additional details very soon, but in the meantime
contact us for more information. And visit our website
for information on our existing loan program,”
Richardson and Rupe wrote.
“We’ve been working with USDA
to approve REDC’s Covid-19
Emergency Loan Program
leveraging funds through our
existing Revolving Loan Fund.”
REDC provides fixed rate loans through its Revolving
Loan Fund. Loans are typically between $5,000 –
$150,000, but can be more.
Additionally, Vermont’s 12 regional development
corporations, including REDC, have sent a letter to the
Congressional delegation thanking them for their work to
date and identifying several issues, concerns, gaps, and
unmet needs and offering suggestions to consider for
additional relief legislation.
Although the REDC office is closed services remain
available for our Rutland County businesses. Visit REDC’s
Covid-19 resource page for businesses at: rutlandeconomy.com/covid19.
For information about additional
economic opportunities and incentives in the Rutland
area visit: rutlandeconomy.com/financial.
Covid-19 Local Guide • April 24, 2020 • 19