Linn County General Assistance is updating the eligibility requirements and increasing the assistance available for some assistance programs to meet the changing and increasing needs within the community. Rising inflation and the continued increase in rent has led to the need for these updates. Below are brief summaries of the changes made to County assistance programs.
Income Guidelines
Previously, Linn County General Assistance used 100% of the Federal Poverty Line to assess eligibility for assistance programs. Now, 30% Area Median Income will be used allowing for assistance eligibility to better align with incomes in Linn County instead of an arbitrary federal standard. This change allows household incomes to be slightly higher and still qualify for assistance.
Needy and Ongoing Assistance
Linn County General Assistance is updating needy assistance to $900 one time in a 12-month period from $450 two times in a 12-month period. This change comes from customer feedback in which most households request to use their two months of eligibility at once because $900 goes further to address rent and utility needs in the current market. In addition, this change will increase staff capacity and the flexibility for clients to use their assistance to best meet their needs.
The County is increasing ongoing assistance from $450 to $550 every month for eligible individuals to help them more adequately pay rent and utilities for their households. This assistance is available to eligible individuals while they are applying for Social Security Income.
Burial Assistance
Linn County General Assistance is increasing the amount of burial assistance available to eligible applicants to $2,000. This increase will help funeral homes to better cover the costs of a burial. Individuals requesting burial assistance should visit the General Assistance office to apply. Funds for approved applicants will be sent directly to the funeral home.
Learn more about these programs and other available assistance resources on the Linn County website.