If you are having difficulty paying your monthly rent, you may be eligible for assistance from the Washington DC Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The program can help pay for things like security deposits and first month’s rent if you are moving to a new home or apartment. The program provides support for people who are struggling to keep a roof over their head. It offers a variety of resources, including financial assistance, to help people stay in their homes.
The goal of this fund is to prevent evictions by paying up to five months of past due rent for qualified individuals. This means that money can be used to pay for either a security deposit or first month’s rent. This is available when doing so would prevent a family from becoming homeless or help to keep a family living together.
If you live in Washington D.C., have children, are disabled, or are a senior citizen, you may be able to get help with your finances. The program provides financial assistance to help cover overdue rent payments for households who are at risk of being evicted from their homes or apartments. If you are struggling to pay for court or late fees, there are some funds that can help you.
The amount of money that low income families can get help with depends on how much money they make and how much money they already have. There is a limit to how much money they can get. This means that if you have already used resources from the Washington DC Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), you cannot use them again for another year.
A couple years ago the average payment per qualified household was just over $2000. Almost 4,000 people were able to receive financial assistance. Most of the money from the ERAP program will go to families with low incomes and children. This means that there were households with someone who had a disability or an elderly household member. Many people use their stimulus checks to pay rent and avoid being evicted.
In order to participate in the program, households must have an adult over the age of 59, at least one child under the age of 19, or a person with a medical disability. The amount of money that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program can provide to each household will depend on how much funding is available and will also be limited. This means that you may owe up to $4,250 in back rent, while first month’s rent and security deposits are limited to $900.
How to apply for the Washington DC Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
The Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) is only available to low income residents in the Washington, D.C. area because of the high demand for housing and rental assistance in the area. Currently, applications for the program are being accepted by several different non-profit community-based organizations, including Housing Counseling Services (HCS).
The primary goal of the program is to help renters who are facing eviction by paying back rent. Some cash is provided each year to help with rent and security deposits. This will only be paid out when it is necessary to prevent a household from becoming homeless or to keep a family from being separated. The ERAP program does not cover mortgage payments or utilities.
You can learn more about Washington DC Housing Counseling Services by calling 202-667-7006 or by visiting their office at 2410 17th St. NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20009.