Families in Oneida and Herkimer counties facing eviction because of the poor economy now have help available from a partnership of six agencies working with the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $1,051,441 in stimulus funds to the agency to fund the new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program.

Linda Wilkinson, director of the agency’s Family Resource Department, said the partnership will help as many as 1,400 households over the next two years.

The agency was one of 25 chosen from 66 applicants. It was selected as the lead agency in Oneida and Herkimer counties because it has experience administering other homelessness intervention contracts for the region, Wilkinson said.

The program is open to households in the two counties except in the City of Utica, which obtained a separate homelessness prevention grant.

The money will go to people who were recently laid off or had their income cut. Funds can be used for security deposits, utility bills, moving and storage expenses, legal assistance with eviction actions and credit repair.

Eligible households must be at or below 50 percent of the area median income. Typical incomes would be $19,550 for an individual or $27,900 for a family of four. Priority will be given to households facing eviction within two weeks or living in condemned housing.

Participating agencies, services they will provide and contact phone numbers are:

• Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, rent and security deposits, Rome 339-2649, Herkimer 866-0030.

• Catholic Charities of Oneida-Madison counties, rent and security deposits, utility assistance, moving costs. Rome 337-8600, Utica 724-0120.

• Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York, credit and budget counseling and credit repair, Utica 797-5366.

• American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley, short term utility and rent assistance, Utica 733-4666, Herkimer 866-2890.

• Legal Aid Society of Mid-NY, legal services for eviction prevention for renters and credit repair, 793-7077.

• Catholic Charities of Herkimer County, security deposits, motel vouchers, utility assistance, moving costs. Ilion 894-9917.

Social Science Associates will provide data collection and management for the direct service agencies.