Veterans and active military can now apply for housing and basic needs assistance and small business grants under new COVID-19 relief programs spearheaded by Commissioner Diaz

MIAMI-DADE – Veterans and active duty military personnel can now apply for housing and basic needs assistance and small business grants to weather the COVID-19 crisis under legislation sponsored by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz.

The new housing program, which utilizes $10 million in federal CARES Act coronavirus relief funds, provides up to three months of past due rent or mortgage payments per household, with a maximum of $5,000 per household. Funds will be paid to the landlord or mortgage lender in the form of a grant by Miami-Dade County.

The new basic needs program, which utilizes $5 million in CARES Act funding, assists eligible households with $1,000 of basic needs assistance vouchers for single applicants and $2,000 of basic needs assistance vouchers for households of two or more. Vouchers can be used to purchase groceries, medical supplies, baby and adult care products and other household items.

“We owe our veterans and military families so much, and that’s why I sponsored this legislation to make sure they and their families are taken care of during this crisis,” Commissioner Diaz said.

Commissioner Diaz’s legislation also includes $5 million in CARES Act funding to provide grants of up to $25,000 to veterans and active military personnel who own small businesses. Applications for that program became available last month and can be obtained at https://www8.miamidade.gov/apps/ISD/SBD_VBG.

For detailed eligibility requirements on the housing and basic needs assistance programs and to apply, visit www.miamidadecovidrelief.org.

Applications also are available on Commissioner Diaz’s website at www.miamidade.gov/district12.