HARRISBURG, PA. (Erie News Now) – Help is still available for tenants and landlords in Pennsylvania through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
Lawmakers say hundreds of thousands of dollars are available for Pennsylvania renters and landlords who have been negatively impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There’s still hundreds of thousands of dollars left over in the fund,” said State Representative Bob Merski (D-Erie). “We have to use this money up and i want to make sure that the community knows that it’s out there,” Merksi added.
For renters, the assistance covers rental assistance and utility costs. Renters do not need permission from their landlord to apply.
Landlords can also apply to recapture lost funds.
To qualify for rental assistance, a household must be responsible for paying rent and must meet the following criteria:
One or more household members has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs, or experienced other financial hardship due to or during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One or more household members can show a risk of homelessness or housing instability.
The household’s income is at or below 80% of area median income ($40,050 for a single-person household, $45,800 for two people, $57,200 for a household of four, and $66,400 for a household of six). Resources like bank accounts and cars are not relevant to eligibility.
In Erie County, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program is administered through Erie County Care Management. You can view the online application here.
Other counties, like Warren, can apply online using COMPASS.
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