Good NestingThe coronavirus pandemic led to job loss, which made it impossible for many families to pay the rent. Luckily, eviction protections were put in to prevent people from being tossed onto the street, but even those ended.
What’s your next move for keeping a roof over your family’s head? If you’re still struggling financially and need help paying the rent, the U.S. Department of Treasury has just what you’re looking for.
It’s called the Emergency Rental Assistance program, and it has billions of dollars in aid to help families who need it most. How can you participate in this program before it’s too late? Let’s take a look.
Eligibility for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program
While it’s great news that the government set aside billions in rental aid, there’s one major problem: People haven’t been getting it. That may have been okay when evictions were stopped, but now that they aren’t, families need that ERA cash fast.
Where is that cash? Split amongst 495 state and local programs. Each has its own rules and regulations, making it tricky to figure out if you’re eligible. We’ll tell you who to contact to get an official take on your eligibility, but first, let’s look at the basic requirements to qualify for assistance.
First, you need a rental agreement in place for your home. It doesn’t need to be a signed lease specifically. And your “home” could be a single-family house, apartment, mobile home, or some other dwelling.
Second, one person in your household must be eligible for unemployment, lost income, owes significant expenses, or has financial hardships.
Third, at least one person in your household must have housing instability. In other words, they’re facing homelessness or can’t find a place to live.
Lastly, your household income will have to be below a certain level to qualify. That level will depend on your location.
Those are the primary emergency rental assistance requirements. Whether you feel you qualify or not, contact your local program to get a definitive answer. You can find that program via this link. Other options include contacting your local Public Housing Agency or calling 211 and asking for emergency rental assistance.
What Emergency Rental Assistance Covers
As you probably know firsthand, housing costs involve much more than just the rent. Luckily, the ERA program can cover the following in addition to your rent, depending on your location:
- Internet
- Electricity
- Water
- Gas
- Trash removal
- Sewer
- Moving expenses
- Late fees
- Application fees
- Screening fees
- Security deposits
As you can see, if you’ve been forced to move due to the pandemic and an inability to pay rent, the ERA program can help with those costs. And depending on your local program, you may also receive housing counseling and legal representation.
Since all of this information may be a lot to take in, your best bet is to contact your local program now to get the ball rolling on emergency rental assistance.
