- The Emergency Rent and Utilities Coalition (ERUC), Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program, will stop accepting new applications as of April 1, 2023. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program or ERAP was created to help renters dealing with financial challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Clients may be able to receive prospective rent payments for April, May, or June only so long as the recertification is processed before April 1, 2023.
- Additionally the YWCA will no longer be assisting with hotel/motel stays.
Keep families in their homes.
Are you in need of assistance with your rent/or utilities due to COVID-19 hardships?
The Emergency Rent & Utilities Coalition program assists households that are unable to pay rent or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us help you through these turbulent times.
Follow the steps below for Emergency Rental Assistance!
Program Details
Eligibility
For a household to be eligible for the ERUC-CV program, it must meet all the following requirements:
- Household must reside in Montgomery County at the time of application
- One or more individuals in the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experience a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experience other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The household can demonstrate a risk of homelessness or housing instability
- Household must be at or below 80% of Area Median Income at the time of application
Rental assistance provided to an eligible household should not be duplicative of any other federally funded rental assistance provided to such household.
Eligible households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance, and households with income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income, are to be prioritized for assistance.
Eligible households may receive up to 12 months of assistance, plus an additional 3 months if the grantee determines the extra months are needed to ensure housing stability and grantee funds are available. The payment of existing housing-related arrears that could result in eviction of an eligible household is prioritized. Assistance must be provided to reduce an eligible household’s rental arrears before the household may receive assistance for future rent payments. Once a household’s rental arrears are reduced, grantees may only commit to providing future assistance for up to three months at a time. Households may reapply for additional assistance at the end of the three-month period if needed and the overall time limit for assistance is not exceeded.
Application Process
The eligibility prescreen can be submitted by either the household or a landlord on behalf of the household. The emergency rental & utilities assistance application must be submitted by an eligible household. In general, funds will be paid directly to landlords and utility service providers.
Step 1: Complete the prescreen survey using the button above, labeled “1. See If You Qualify.”
Step 2: Complete the ERUC application, using button above labeled “2. Fill Out the Application Form,” and gather required documents.
Step 3: You will receive an email or text to upload your application and required documents prior to your appointment with your case manager.
For more information, please contact:
ERUC@ywcatricountyarea.org
