Emergency Rental Assistance Program Summary
Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (the Act), Congress agreed on an additional COVID-19 relief package. Key provisions of the Act include a temporary extension of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eviction moratorium until March 31, 2021, as well as the establishment of a new Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The US Department of the Treasury is responsible for the federal administration, monitoring, and oversight of the $25 billion ERAP. State and local governments (Grantees) are responsible for administering the program at the household level. The ERAP provides payments to assist low-income households impacted by COVID-19 with rent and utility/home energy costs. Households are limited to a maximum of 15 months of assistance if determined necessary by the administering state/local government. Funds received by the Grantee may be subject to recapture by the Treasury if not obligated by September 30, 2021 and will remain available for expenditure through December 31, 2021.
Eligible recipients include any of the following:
Eligibility Note 1) Treasury instructs that priority be given to households with incomes of no more than 50% AMI and to households in which at least one member is unemployed and has been for 90 days or more. Eligibility Note 2) Landlords may apply on behalf of tenants who meet the eligibility requirements. Eligibility Note 3) Grantees must monitor for duplication of benefits and ensure that households receiving assistance under this program do not receive funding under any other federally funded rental assistance program. |
Eligible expenses include any of the following:
To the extent that it is administratively feasible, recipients must require documentation of COVID impact. However, recipients may consider permitting households to self-certify how they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (only if other documentation is not available) to expedite the disbursement of funds.