Lift to Rise, City of Indio partnership provides rent relief to hundreds

More than 200 Indio households have received rental assistance out of Indio’s partnership with Coachella Valley nonprofit Lift to Rise. In March 2021, Indio’s City Council authorized $645,754 in Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding to Lift to Rise, to serve some of the nearly 350 Indio households on the waitlist for the United Lift Rental Assistance Program. This countywide aid program is being administered by Lift to Rise for the eastern half of Riverside County. To date, 209 Indio households have been approved for funding in 2021. Though the contract with Lift to Rise runs through the end of the year, Lift to Rise is on pace to obligate the remaining CDBG funds by the end of July. Many, if not all, of the 209 households have also received Emergency Recovery Assistance Program (ERAP) funding through Riverside County, which has provided an additional three months rent for those who were financially impacted by COVID-19. "When you combine Indio’s CDBG funds and the County’s ERAP funds, Indio households have received more than one million dollars in rental assistance," said Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes. "We know catching up continues to be a struggle for many. We hope this help will provide the chance for people to get back on their feet without worrying about stable housing." "United Lift Rental Assistance so far has aided more than 8,000 households in Riverside County with immediate help in paying rent," added Lift to Rise Founder and CEO Heather Vaikona. "We see the need every day, and are grateful to the City of Indio for recognizing the importance of housing stability." Indio renters who have not previously applied for funding through United Lift, or those who received assistance in 2020, can submit an application at unitedlift.org to apply for the current round of funding.