The Emergency Rental Assitance program is designed to help families and individuals who are struggling to pay rent as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic.
A total of $25 billion in funds are set aside. The goal is to enable people to stay in their homes by providing monetary assistance that is to be used to pay for rent.
In this post, you will learn about the Emergency Rental Assitance Program, including how to qualify, how much money you can get, and more.
Emergency Rental Assitance: What You Need to Know
If you want to connect emergency rental assistance money, you first have to qualify by meeting the following criteria:
- The renting household qualifies for unemployment benefits.
- The renting household is earning significantly less money, or has increased costs, or is experiencing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.
- The renting household is able to show a high risk of becoming homeless or not having a stable home as a result of pandemic-related consequences.
- The renting household’s income level is below 80% of the area’s median income level.
The above qualification requirements might seem technical, but they’re really simple. When you boil it down, you basically just need to have less income as a result of the pandemic to qualify.
But how much money can you get, and for how long? Let’s take a look.
Emergency Rental Assitance: Benefit Payments
Qualifying households can get up to 12 months of assistance. They might also get an extra three months if the granting agency determines that it would be beneficial to the recipient.
The first payments are focused on any unpaid amounts owed that might result in an eviction. Once those back payments are settled, future benefits are typically offered in three-month increments.
Let’s say it’s March, and you still owe your January and February rent payments. If you qualify, those outstanding rent amounts would be credited first. Then, you would be granted a three-month commitment for future payments, so your payments would be covered for March, April, and May. You can then reapply for additional assistance toward the end of May.
Furthermore, both landlords and renters can apply for assistance. If the landlord wants to participate, they can receive direct payments from the government on behalf of the renter. To apply, either the household has to apply, or the landlord can apply on behalf of the eligible household.
At the time of this writing, most payments have already been distributed by the US government. If you believe that you are owed emergency rental assistance, contact the US Department of Treasury, which oversees COVID-19 relief payments.
