Rental Assistance: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Resources for Renters and Homeowners

[Helen]

Hello Seller Community,

With the US federal government’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium set to expire on July 31st, we are sharing information about resources available to renters who may be in need of financial assistance to pay for their housing needs.

The following text was provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For specific advice applicable to you or your business, please contact a professional.

There is over $45 billion in aid available for renters who are behind on housing costs because of the pandemic and may need help making payments. You can learn more and find additional resources for both renters and homeowners on the unified federal housing assistance portal hosted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Leer en Español.

Rental assistance helps renters and landlords make ends meet

State and local programs are distributing billions of dollars in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic.

• If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs – or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation – help may be available. State and local programs are taking applications from renters and landlords to distribute money from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program in their own communities.

• If you’re a landlord, you may think of rental assistance as help for renters. But right now, most federal emergency rental assistance programs accept applications from landlords. Where renters can apply, they often need your help to complete the process and make payments to you.

How do I apply for emergency rental assistance?

You apply through your local emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. Each local program has some flexibility in how they set up policies and procedures to suit the needs of their local community. For example, in some areas, you can apply for rental assistance yourself. In other areas, landlords need to submit an application first. 

To find rental assistance in your area and learn how to apply, visit The U.S. Department of the Treasury's ERA Program finder, or this database from the National Low Income Housing Coalition of programs. Use the search bar to find programs in your area. If you cannot find any program in your area, call 2-1-1 or your local housing authority for assistance.

Am I eligible for emergency rental assistance?

To be eligible for help covering your rent, you must have an agreement to pay rent for your home or mobile home lot. You don’t necessarily need to have a signed lease, and your home could be an apartment, house, mobile home, or other place.

These three statements also need to be true:

1. At least one member of your household has:
1. Qualified for unemployment or should qualify
2. Lost income
3. Owed large expenses, OR
4. Had other financial hardships
2. Your household income is below a certain amount, based on where you live
3. At least one member of your household is experiencing housing instability, which means they are at risk of becoming homeless or would have trouble finding a stable place to live

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the unified federal housing assistance portal hosted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Leer en Español: Recursos de la Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor para inquilinos y propietarios.

[pessosices]

This is absolutely huge and will be so helpful to a lot of people. Thank you so much @Helen @for all of the time and effort in putting this together and sharing! You rock!

[Helen]

Of course! Glad to be able to share information like this with everyone!