FORT MYERS, FL. — Big turn out for the launch of The Fort Myers Emergency Assistance Program.
The program launched Thursday to help people in the city impacted by the Coronavirus crisis.
"Over 2,000 people submitted an application for rent assistance," said Councilman Kevin Anderson from the City of Fort Myers.
The Fort Myers Emergency Assistance Program aims to help residents pay rent and help provide loans to small businesses with less than five employees.
Applicants must live within city limits, and be low-income based.
Applicants for the rent and mortgage assistance program can get up to $750 a month for three months, while microenterprises can get up to a $10,000 loan, but they'll have to prove their need is directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Councilman Anderson says once the city reviews all the applications, he hopes the $720,000 in loans and grants will be enough to go around.
"If there are still excess of applications, hopefully, it's a manageable amount; at that point, depending on what that number is, I would hope we could seek other sources of funding," said Councilman Anderson.
As of Friday evening, applications for the program have closed.
Councilman Anderson says the city hopes to begin distributing rent assistance funds by May 1st, and the business loans closer to mid-May.
