Hernando County opens rental aid funding for low-income tenants

Low-income renters in Hernando County now have a narrow window to seek help through the county’s HOME tenant-based rental assistance program, with applications opening May 29 and closing July 17 at 5:00 p.m.

The notice matters because TBRA is one of the most direct forms of housing aid the county can offer: the assistance follows the tenant rather than a specific apartment or house, helping eligible households stabilize where they already live. Hernando County’s HOME workshop materials say the broader program can support rental housing, homeowner rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance and TBRA, and that beneficiaries must be low-income, defined there as at or below 80% of area median income.

Housing & Supportive Services administers the county’s HOME program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development framework. County materials say HOME is designed to strengthen public-private partnerships and give communities flexibility to meet local housing needs, which makes the current application period especially important for local service providers, case managers and housing organizations trying to secure funds for residents who are already under pressure.

The county’s draft FY 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan proposes $373,655 in HOME funding and says Hernando County receives HUD CDBG and HOME funds. That broader funding picture helps explain why the county is moving on multiple housing tracks at once, including rental aid now and longer-term affordable housing development support through its earlier HOME notice for CHDO set-aside funding and affordable housing development funding.

That earlier application round opened May 29 and closed June 29 at 5:00 p.m. County guidance says participating jurisdictions must commit at least 15% of their HOME allocation to CHDO activities, underscoring the county’s effort to support both immediate rental stability and the creation or preservation of affordable units.

Hernando County also set a related outreach event, the Hernando Helps Family Development Fair, for May 30 at Hammock Ridge Apartments, 8274 Omaha Cir in Spring Hill. The fair is slated to offer financial literacy and credit counseling, job training, homeownership guidance, educational support, employment resources, and mental and physical wellness assistance, placing the TBRA notice inside a broader county push to connect residents with housing and stability services.

For applicants, the biggest hurdle is timing. The window is short, the money is limited, and households must clear the county’s low-income standards to qualify for help that can keep rent from becoming an eviction notice.