Emergency Rental Assistance Program
ERAP Rental Assistance Eligibility 2024.
Who is eligible to apply for ERAP? This program will provide assistance to low and moderate income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. Owners cannot apply for ERAP without the participation of their tenants
Overview
Eligibility
Benefits
Required documents
Contact
Overview
Applicants can utilize the ERAP Portal to upload documents, check application status, log into their landlord or tenant account to edit or add a W9, add applications to their account, and more, at any time.
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) aims to offer substantial economic relief, assisting low and moderate-income households at risk of homelessness or housing instability. It provides support for rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears.
Certain communities that directly received emergency rental assistance funding from the federal government have chosen to independently administer their programs. Residents with incomes up to 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) are ineligible for assistance through the state-administered program. They should instead apply for emergency rental assistance through their respective local programs.
Eligibility
Residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet the following criteria:
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Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI).
- These income limits vary by county and household size.
- A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI.
- (The ERAP program serving households with income over 80 percent and up to 120 percent of area median income closed to new applications on February 14, 2022).
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On or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The applicant is obligated to pay rent at their primary residence and has rental arrears (rent overdue) at their current residence for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020.
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The household must be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, demonstrated by having rental arrears owed on or after March 13, 2020.
There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program.
Households eligible for rental arrears may also be eligible for help paying utility arrears at the same rental unit.
Applications for all eligible households will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds remain available.
Benefits
Households approved for ERAP may receive:
- Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
- Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance if the household is expected to spend 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to pay for rent.
- Up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears payments for arrears that have accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
Payments will be made directly to the landlord/property owner and utility company on behalf of the tenant. Tenant applicants will be notified of the amounts paid on their behalf. If a landlord is difficult to locate or does not otherwise provide information needed to complete the application, funds will be held for up to 180 days to allow sufficient time to locate the landlord and collect required information as well as to provide tenant protections and maximize landlord participation.
Required documents
Renter Applicants
Renters will need to provide:
- Personal identification for the primary applicant (individual signing the application). Acceptable forms of identification include items such as: A photo ID, driver’s license, or non-driver government-issued ID, passport, EBT/Benefits Issuance Card, birth certificate, or school registration.
- Social Security number of any household members who have been issued one. Individuals do not need to have a lawful immigration status to qualify for the program.
- Proof of rental amount, signed lease, even if expired. If no lease is available, then proof can be shown through a rent receipt, canceled check, or money order. If no documentation is available, landlord attestation will be accepted.
- Proof of residency and occupancy – Signed lease, rent receipt, utility bill, school records, bank statement, postal mail with the name of the applicant, insurance bill, or driver’s license. Proof should be current.
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Proof of Income:
- Documents demonstrating monthly income for the prior month, such as pay stubs, bank account deposit verification, unemployment benefits letter, or other proof; OR
- Documents demonstrating annual income for 2020, such as a W-2 tax form from an employer, an annual statement of earnings, or a copy of a completed income tax return, such as a 1040, 1040EZ, 1099 tax form, or other evidence of 2020 annual income.
- Self-attestation through a written and signed statement of income is permitted in certain circumstances where no documentation is available, such as certain self-employment.
- Copy of gas or electric utility bill, if applying for help paying for utility arrears at the same rental unit.
Applicants will be asked to attest that on or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs or experienced other financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The applicant will need to sign the application form and associated certifications, agreeing that the information provided in the application is accurate.
Contact
Call center hours are:
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST
Contact us by phone:
844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368)
For the hearing impaired, TTY phone number: 1-833-843-8829.
Contact us by Webchat:
Chat with a representative
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs – or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation – help may be available.ERAP is taking applications from renters and landlords to distribute money from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program in their own communities.
Applicants can use the ERAP Portal to upload documents, check application status, log into their landlord or tenant account to edit or add a W9, add applications to their account, and more, at any time.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance.
The federal ERA Program allows local programs to cover rent, utilities, and home energy costs. This includes electricity, gas, fuel oil, water and sewer, and trash removal. If your landlord normally pays for utilities or home energy costs, these are counted as part of your rent.
Rental assistance may also cover:
- Reasonable late fees (if not included in your rental or utility debt)
- Internet service to your home
- Moving expenses and other rental-related fees (such as security deposits, application fees, or screening fees) for families who have to move
Some programs may also provide housing counseling, case management, legal representation, and other housing stability services.
To be eligible for help covering your rent, you must have an agreement to pay rent for your home or mobile home lot. You don’t necessarily need to have a signed lease, and your home could be an apartment, house, mobile home, or other place.
These three statements also need to be true:
- At least one member of your household has:
- Qualified for unemployment or should qualify
- Lost income
- Owed large expenses, OR
- Had other financial hardships
- Your household income is below a certain amount, based on where you live
- At least one member of your household is experiencing housing instability, which means they are at risk of becoming homeless or would have trouble finding a stable place to live
Eligibility is based on a renter household’s financial situation and housing needs.
When you apply for emergency rental help, you will be asked to show that your income is eligible and that you’re experiencing housing instability. If you’re a landlord, eligibility is based on your tenant’s household needs, and you’ll be asked to show that your tenant’s household is eligible for assistance.
You must sign a written statement that the information in your application is correct and complete, and that you will use the emergency rental assistance for the costs it is meant to cover.
In some cases, the program may contact your landlord or utility provider and ask them to accept emergency rental assistance to pay off what you owe. If they do not agree, or if they do not respond within seven days (or within five days, if the program contacts your landlord by phone, text, or e-mail), your local program may be able to give the money to you. Then you must use the money to pay the landlord or utility yourself.
In other cases, your local program might give you the money right away, without first contacting your landlord. Either way, you must then use the money to pay what you owe.
Starting May 7, 2023, landlords who accept direct payments of future rent are not allowed to evict you for not paying rent during the period covered by the rental assistance. When programs make direct payments to landlords to cover back rent, guidance strongly encourages them to prohibit eviction for 30 to 90 days after the period covered by rental assistance.
If you live in a manufactured home or mobile home, you can get rental help. You can also get help with rent for the lot that your home sits on, even if you own your manufactured home. Like other renters, you may also qualify for help with utilities or other housing-related expenses.
Rental assistance can also be used to cover mooring fees.
When you apply for emergency rental help, be ready to show an agreement signed by you and your landlord that shows where you live and your rental payment amount.
If you don’t have a signed rental agreement or lease, local programs may accept proof of your address and a written statement about your rent, such as:
- Proof that you paid utilities for your home or apartment unit (like a water bill)
- A statement from your landlord, or
- Other reasonable proof as requested
You may also be able to show your rental payment amount with:
- Bank statements
- Check stubs
- Other paperwork that shows regular rent payments, or
- Other reasonable proof as requested
If you give a written statement, local programs may require you to certify that you did not receive – and don’t expect to get – help from a different source to cover the same rental costs. For instance, if your rent is subsidized by a federal agency like the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), you can’t get help from your local program to cover the federally subsidized portion of your rent. But you can get help to cover the part of the rent that you are responsible for.
Money from the federal ERA Program is for renters only. But money from the Homeowner Assistance Fund created under the American Rescue Plan Act may also be available. If you’re experiencing hardship as a homeowner, visit our Help for homeowners page to learn about your options.
You don’t have to be behind on rent to get assistance. Some programs offer help with future rent. However, if you have overdue rent, the money you get must go toward rent that you owe before it can be used for future rent.
es. If your household is eligible for emergency rental assistance, local programs may cover the cost of a hotel or motel room if:
- You had to move out of your home and you don’t have a permanent home elsewhere
- You can provide hotel or motel bills or other evidence of your stay, and
- Your local program follows the rules for this emergency rental assistance
If emergency rental assistance is not available to help cover these costs, you can also ask for help under the HUD Emergency Solutions Grant program. Visit Benefits.gov
for more information about Emergency Solutions Grants.
The questions and answers above are based on the Department of the Treasury’s revised Frequently Asked Questions on emergency rental assistance (ERA) .