Carbon County officials have picked the manager for the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s 2020 Pennsylvania CARES Rent Relief program.

The program was established to assist families experiencing job or income loss as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis who are now struggling to pay their rent.

Last week, the board of commissioners approved Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown as the organization that will manage the program in Carbon County. The paperwork was then filed that day since the deadline to apply for participation was June 18.

According to Catholic Charities’ project outline, “assistance will include payments for rent, payments to eligible households who are able to document a 30% reduction of income as a result from COVID-19, filed for unemployment due to COVID-19 and from March 1, 2020, and their current annual income is not over Carbon County’s Median Family Income which is $51,236.

“In addition, each eligible household would be able to receive up to $750 for up to six months. Verification of the household applying for unemployment will be completed by PHFA.”

Catholic Charities will now set up an account to oversee landlord and tenant applications, which will be accepted beginning on July 6.