Carbon County is expected to receive $4.22 million to continue to help people who can’t afford their rent after being affected by the pandemic.

County Commissioner Chris Lukasevich announced the award from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on Thursday. The money is for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown administered for Carbon last year.

Lukasevich said that the county plans to contract with Catholic Charities again for the program.

The funds will assist eligible renters with 12 months of rent and utilities going forward or, if they are in arrears with bills for rent and utilities, back to March 2020 when the pandemic began.

There will be modifications needed to the program due to a change in state agency overseeing the funding.

The county will tentatively receive the funds in March with fund disbursement in April, if all goes well, Lukasevich said.

Additional information on the program will be announced at a later time.

Between August and November, Carbon County was able to help 81 families affected by the pandemic with rental assistance through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency CARES Rent Relief Program.