The $10 million gap includes about $8 million of declined direct payments to rental landlords, Thornton said.
The remaining $2 million is likely a result of landlords who have yet to provide required documentation, “allegedly because they don’t have their GE (general excise tax) licenses,” Thornton said.
“They’re not paying their taxes on that rental income,” Thornton said. “So that’s potentially a problem that could prevent tenants who otherwise are eligible for the program, not receiving those funds that they really need.”
The program, which receives assistance from Aloha United Way and Catholic Charities Hawaii, is scheduled to expire next week.
The program averages $1 million to $1.5 million in approvals daily, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. spokesman Kent Miyasaki said.
Typical applicants are approved for about $4,400, Miyasaki said. But Thornton said payments can be as high as $6,000.
Applicants must provide proof of economic hardship such as layoffs and reductions in hours or pay as a result of the pandemic, Miyasaki said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
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