How To Ask Congress For Emergency Rental Assistance For Renters And Property Owners
The collective effort of organizations like NAA, NMHC, NLIHC, and RRF to name a few, are helping bolster emergency rent assistance programs on the whole, but its more important than ever for industry-wide support. Apartment operators, housing professionals, and rental housing organizations need to band together in calling on Congress to immediately pass additional federal relief and stimulus legislation. You can do so by visiting the advocacy calls for action from the NAA and NMHC.
What Help Is Available For My Home Energy Bill
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program may be able to help with:
- Assistance to pay your heating or cooling bills
- Emergency services in cases of energy crisis, such as utility shutoffs
- Low-cost home improvements, known as weatherization, that make your home more energy efficient and lower your utility bills.
LIHEAP funds may not be used to pay water and sewer bills.
Rent Assistance For Special Groups
The Arc Program
This rent assistance program is specifically for disabled adults. Disabled people can have a harder time earning an income, and may have special needs that require extra expenses. These programs help relieve the financial burdens by helping with rent assistance.
Single Parents Alliance of America
This rent assistance program is specifically offered for single mothers and fathers. Running a household with only one parent and breadwinner can be difficult. It can be even more difficult with two or more children. This program is offered for single parents that need financial assistance for rent and other utilities.
Veterans Assistance and Financial Support
This rent assistance program is specifically offered for veterans of the United States military services. Veterans who qualify for assistance are usually disabled with physical and emotional disabilities, and they are offered rent assistance, especially if they are not living in a special home for veterans.
Youth on their Own Program
This program provides financial assistance for students and youth. They provide monthly living expenses for daily needs and they can even provide funding for emergency rent assistance. To qualify for this program, students have to meet attendance and passing grade requirements.
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Programs For Emergency Rent Assistance
Emergency rent assistance programs are available for people who need immediate help paying their rent. Rent is a very basic expense, but not everyone can come up with the monthly payments on time.
Luckily there are several programs that can help out with paying the rent, especially for emergency situations, or when there is a pending eviction. Here are several examples of emergency rent assistance programs.
Should Grantees Provide Tenants The Option To Apply Directly For Era Assistance Rather Than Only Accepting Applications For Assistance From Landlords And Owners Of Dwellings
For ERA1, Treasury strongly encourages grantees to provide an option for tenants to apply directly for funding, rather than only accepting applications for assistance from landlords and owners of dwellings. For ERA2, grantees are required to allow tenants to apply directly for assistance, even if the landlord or owner chooses not to participate, consistent with the statutory requirement for the funds to be used to provide financial assistance to eligible households.
See FAQ 12 for additional information on grantees providing assistance to landlords and tenants.
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Who Can Get A Grant
The federal government awards grants to organizations including:
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State and local governments
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Non-profit organizations
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Businesses
The intent of most grants is to fund projects that will benefit specific parts of the population or the community as a whole. What you might see about grants online or in the media may not be true. The federal government does not offer grants or free money to individuals to start a business or cover personal expenses. For personal financial assistance, the government offers federal benefit programs. These programs help individuals and families become financially self-sufficient or lower their expenses.
Nsw Government Assistance For Renters And Landlords
The NSW Government has announced new support for renters and landlords impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown, including up to $210 million in grants to eligible landlords.
Residential tenants will have greater protection with a targeted eviction moratorium, which will be implemented through legislative changes.
Residential landlords who decrease rent for impacted tenants can apply for a grant of up to $1,500 or land tax reductions depending on their circumstances. The land tax relief will be equal to the value of rent reductions provided by landlords to financially distressed tenants, up to 100 per cent of the 2021 land tax year liability.
Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the short-term tenancy and landlords support package will provide renters and landlords with immediate assistance during the COVID-19 lockdown.
We know a lot of people are currently experiencing hardship and the NSW Government is here to stand with renters and landlords while we work together to get through the latest COVID-19 outbreak, Mr Anderson said.
Our number one priority is the health and safety of our communities and this package will provide support for both tenants and landlords, ensuring renters continue to have a roof over their heads while maintaining rental incomes for landlords.
Mr Anderson said the new package will, for the first time, provide a rental subsidy grant of up to $1,500 for landlords who offer rent reductions to COVID-19 impacted tenants.
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Who Is Eligible To Receive Assistance Under The Act And How Should A Grantee Document The Eligibility Of A Household
A grantee may only use the funds provided in the ERA to provide financial assistance and housing stability services to eligible households. To be eligible, a household must be obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling and the grantee must determine that:
While there are some differences in eligibility between ERA1 and ERA2, the eligibility requirements are very similar, and Treasury is seeking to implement ERA2 consistently with ERA1, to the extent possible, to reduce administrative burdens for grantees.
Era Funds May Be Used For Utilities And Home Energy Costs And Utilities And Home Energy Costs Arrears How Are Those Terms Defined And How Should Those Costs Be Documented
Utilities and home energy costs are separately stated charges related to the occupancy of rental property. Accordingly, utilities and home energy costs include separately stated electricity, gas, water and sewer, trash removal, and energy costs, such as fuel oil. Payments to public utilities are permitted.
All payments for utilities and home energy costs should be supported by a bill, invoice, or evidence of payment to the provider of the utility or home energy service.
Utilities and home energy costs that are covered by the landlord will be treated as rent.
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Homeless Resources For Special Groups
These resources are geared toward specific audiences:
Veterans
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Housing programs and street outreach – Find stable, safe housing. You can also get education help, survival aid, counseling, crisis intervention, and follow-up support.
People with Mental Illness
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Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness – Find help if you have a serious mental illness. The PATH program can assist you if youre homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Must A Grantee Pay For All Of A Households Rental Or Utility Arrears
No. The full payment of arrears is allowed up to the limits established by the statutes, as described in FAQ 10. A grantee may structure a program to provide less than full coverage of arrears. Grantees are encouraged to consider whether payments of less than the full amount of arrears may result in a significant disincentive for landlord participation in the ERA program. Moreover, consistent with FAQ 32, grantees should consider methods for avoiding evictions for nonpayment or utility cutoffs in cases where arrearages are paid only in part.
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How Should Applicants Document That A Member Of The Household Has Qualified For Unemployment Benefits Experienced A Reduction In Income Incurred Significant Costs Or Experienced Other Financial Hardship Due To The Covid
A grantee must document that one or more members of the applicants household either qualified for unemployment benefits or for ERA1, experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak or for ERA2, experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due, directly or indirectly, to the coronavirus pandemic. 3 If the grantee is relying on clause for this determination, or if the grantee is relying on clause in ERA2, the grantee is permitted to rely on either a written attestation signed by the applicant or other relevant documentation regarding the household members qualification for unemployment benefits. If the grantee is relying on clause for this determination in ERA1, the statute requires the grantee to obtain a written attestation signed by the applicant that one or more members of the household meets this condition.
3 Treasury is interpreting the two different statutory terms as having the same meaning.
Era Requires A Prioritization Of Assistance For Households With Incomes Less Than 50 Percent Of Area Median Income Or Households With One Or More Individuals That Have Not Been Employed For The 90
Grantees should establish a preference system for assistance that prioritizes assistance to households with incomes less than 50 percent area median income8 and to households with one or more members that have been unemployed for at least 90 days. Grantees should document the preference system they plan to use and should inform all applicants about available preferences.
Treasury will require grantees to report to Treasury on the methods they have established to implement this prioritization of assistance and to publicly post a description of their prioritization methods, including on their program web page if one exists, by July 15, 2021.
8 For the definition of area median income, see FAQ 4.
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Military Service Member Grants
The military offers a Military Homeowner Assistance program that will help service members and their families with paying for housing. The program will help prevent a foreclosure, assist service members with homes in which the mortgage amount due is greater than the value of the home, provide them with moving assistance, and other housing aid. Continue reading about the Military Homeowner Assistance program.
Veterans and their families may also be eligible for rent assistance, security deposit aid, and eviction prevention services. Most of these use grants from a government agency known as HUD. The resource is commonly called the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program rent assistance program. It provides cash grants, job placement, and other assistance to those who served our country.
The military also offers several free educational grants and professional certification grants for spouses of military members. They recognize that constant redeployment of military families can make it challenging to improve job skills, so this grant program was created to help. Read more military spouse opportunities.
Must A Beneficiary Of The Rental Assistance Program Have Rental Arrears
No. The statutes establishing ERA1 and ERA2 permit the enrollment of households for only prospective benefits. For ERA1, if an applicant has rental arrears, the grantee may not make commitments for prospective rent payments unless it has also provided assistance to reduce the rental arrears this requirement does not apply to ERA2.
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Section C: Household Information
All members of the household must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a refugee claimant. Provide a photocopy of any documents that apply, for you and for every family member.
- Born in Canada
- Canadian birth certificate If you were born in Canada
- Note: If you are unable to find your birth certificate, you will need to contact Service Canada for the province or territory of your birth to obtain a copy. To find the website for your province or territory please visit the Service Canada website.
Are There Other Places I Can Get Help If I Don’t Qualify For Liheap
If your income is too high to qualify for LIHEAP but you need help paying for your energy bills, your local social services agency or a nonprofit organization may have funds to help. You can also contact your gas, oil, or electric company about budget billing programs or new payment options especially for customers with disabilities who are on Supplemental Security Income .
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The Statutes Establishing Era1 And Era2 Limit Eligibility To Households Based On Certain Income Criteria How Is Household Income Defined For Purposes Of The Era How Will Income Be Documented And Verified
Definition of Income: With respect to each household applying for assistance, grantees may choose between using the Department of Housing and Urban Developments definition of annual income in 24 CFR 5.6092 and using adjusted gross income as defined for purposes of reporting under Internal Revenue Service Form 1040 series for individual federal annual income tax purposes.
Definition of Area Median Income: For purposes of ERA1, the area median income for a household is the same as the income limits for families published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1437a, available under the heading for Access Individual Income Limits Areas. When determining area median income with respect to Tribal members, Tribal governments and TDHEs may rely on the methodology authorized by HUD for the Indian Housing Block Grant Program as it pertains to households residing in an Indian area comprising multiple counties .
Methods for Income Determination: The statute establishing ERA1 provides that grantees may determine income eligibility based on either the households total income for calendar year 2020, or sufficient confirmation of the households monthly income at the time of application, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury .
Alternatively, a grantee may rely on a written attestation without further documentation of household income from the applicant under three approaches:
Cities & States Offering Emergency Rent Assistance Programs & Rent Relief Funds
*NOTE* The emergency rent assistance funds on our list may no longer be available, depending on how quickly the funds were distributed. Visit the sources we provide below to find more information on whether government rental assistance funding is still accessible or if other funding programs exist. To ensure the rental housing industry receives more direct funding, consider contacting your senators and representatives to urge them to support the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act.
Alabama: Rental Assistance Program and Non-Profit & Short-Term Housing Assistance
The JCCEO CSBG Rental Assistance Program was established to meet the emergency needs if households facing a financial crisis due to pandemic-related events. This program provides one-time financial assistance to those who qualify and covers expenses such as rent, water, or prescription medication. Applications are processed within 30 days.
A statewide nonprofit called Alabama Arise directs people to the statewide helpline if they need help paying rental deposits and first months rent. Individuals seeking rental assistance should ask for a referral to an agency that receives Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing funds. In addition, the Alabama Department of Human Resources Alabama is offering short-term assistance to individuals with low income and who need help paying rent. The Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama also has a benefit program that offers rent assistance.
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Prepare Yourself And Your Family
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Make sure your state ID or drivers license is current and available. Shelters and assistance programs may have strict ID requirements.
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If possible, store your belongings. Shelters have limits on how much you may bring.
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Arrange for your mail to be delivered somewhere or talk to your local post office. Many have special services for people who are homeless. You may be able to get a free P.O. box or receive general delivery service.
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Pack a bag for yourself and each member of your family.
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Keep important documents and needed medications with you.
