Tallahassee and Leon County partner on landlord program to assist residents with re-entry

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The City of Tallahassee and Leon County work together to provide landlords with a safety net when renting out to tenants at risk.

The city commission voted in December 2020 to set up the Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund; Leon County is now participating in the program.

The city had allocated $ 250,000 to the program, and Leon County is now allocating an additional $ 100,000 to help people return to the community after being imprisoned.

Leon County is using funds from the prison diversion program to help people re-enter.

Abena Ojetayo, the city’s director of housing and social resilience, says some people do not have reliable or stable housing after they are released.

Ojetayo says this can have a ripple effect.

“This program hopes to combine them with stabilizing housing because we know that this is a critical part of preventing relapse and making sure that they can re-enter society and remain stable afterwards,” said Ojetayo. “Living is an essential part of this.”

Landlords with fewer than five properties can apply.

The program gives landlords a one-time bonus of $ 500 for each unit rented to an individual who is homeless. It also has an option of up to $ 2,000 to cover rental loss and $ 1,000 to cover damage to the property beyond normal wear and tear.

Since the program was launched, the city has paid out $ 10,000 in unpaid rents.

You can learn more about the program here.

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