PORT ST. LUCIE — The City of Port St. Lucie is reopening its Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA) this November to help qualifying seniors stay in their homes, according to city officials.
The federally funded initiative, designed for residents age 62 and older, provides rent relief to help seniors “stay housed and age in place,” said Alessandra Tasca, the city’s deputy director of Neighborhood Services.
The TBRA program is funded through the Federal HOME program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Port St. Lucie participates as part of the regional HOME consortium, which is led by St. Lucie County Community Services.
“When we first became part of the consortium, we developed the program and launched it for the first time," Tasca said.
The city last accepted applications in 2021. Tasca said that since then, some participants have left the program, freeing up funds for new applicants.
“For various reasons between then and now, some people have dropped off, and our annual allocation has increased a little bit during this time as well,” she said. “So we now have room to be able to open up and receive a few more people into the program.”
The city will begin accepting applications for the program at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17. Paper applications can be submitted at City Hall, 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd. Residents unable to apply in person can contact the Neighborhood Services Department for accommodations.
Because of limited funding, only 25 applications will be processed on a first-ready basis. Once that cap is reached, the city will issue a public notice that the application window has closed.
During the week of Nov. 10–16, a printable application will be available online at cityofpsl.com/housing under the Rental Assistance Program for Seniors section. Applicants can use that time to gather required documents, ask questions, and prepare to apply.
The program provides at least 12 months of rental assistance to qualifying seniors who live or work within the city limits and meet federal income guidelines. Approved applicants receive a voucher that can be used toward rent, a security deposit, or a combination of security and utility deposits if relocation is necessary.
“There is a provision in the federal rules and regulations that allows for a utility stipend to be added to the rental assistance,” Tasca said. “The household has to contribute 30% of its income toward rent, which allows them to live affordably because the remaining part of their income can be used for other things. The voucher is issued and paid directly to the landlord or leasing agency for the remainder of the rent.”
Tasca said the program targets some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
“It’s a little bit lower of an income threshold than most programs serve,” she said. “We target some of the most vulnerable people, with 60% of the area median income comprising their total household income.”
She added that most seniors who qualify are on fixed incomes, so the program helps provide stability for those who don’t have much flexibility in their finances.
“The program takes into consideration that most people who enter a program like this, especially eligible seniors, are on fixed incomes,” Tasca said. “It’s not often that they have changes in their income unless more people join the household or the person gets another job.”
Tasca said that while the program has not always drawn a large number of applicants, the city uses each cycle to assess demand and explore ways to expand funding.
“Last time there was interest, but there wasn’t a tremendous amount,” she said. “So whenever we launch programs like this, we are always prepared to collect as much information as we can from people and gauge the need. Afterwards, if there is an excessive amount of need or a lot of people who don’t get into the program, we can explore other opportunities for funding.”
She noted that affordable housing programs for seniors are limited and that the city works closely with local nonprofits to connect residents to available resources.
“There are not a lot of programs like this,” Tasca said. “There are a lot of nonprofits in our area that help as much as possible, and we all work together to refer people to those networks and organizations who are also susceptible to limited funding. Any chance we get to bring additional funding into the community, we’re happy to facilitate that.”
Residents seeking immediate housing assistance can call 211, a free, confidential 24/7 helpline that connects people to social and community services.
For more information about the program, email TBRA@cityofpsl.com or call 772-344-4084.