• Special to the Daily Leader

The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation has awarded more than $1.1 million in tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) to 11 agencies throughout the state.

“Rental Assistance offers our most vulnerable residents a sense of safety and security, helping families move from homelessness to self- sufficiency,” said Carol Rebek, TBRA Program Manager in Topeka.

“These programs enrich quality of life and make Kansas a better place to live.”

Awarded annually, TBRA grants are based on a community’s housing needs, the number of households estimated to be served and the organization’s experience in administering TBRA funding.

Southwest Guidance Center in Liberal has been awarded $100,000 to provide rental assistance within a four-county area: Seward, Meade, Stevens and Haskell counties.

Anyone interested in rental assistance will need to have birth certificates and social security cards for each household member. Any member of the family 18 and older will need to provide proof of income, also. This is a low-income program, so qualifying for the program is determined by household size income.

Tenants may receive up to 24 months of rental assistance. People under the TBRA program generally pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent. Security deposit income assistance is one-time-only and may be in the form of a loan or a grant.

Funding is available starting Jan. 15.

For more information on the tenant-based rental assistance funding through Southwest Guidance Center, contact Barbara Correll, housing coordinator at 624-0280, ext. 23. The housing office is located at 21 Plaza Dr., Liberal. Office hours are 8 a.m. until noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Please call for an appointment.