The US Treasury has allocated two rounds of funding to assist eligible renter households with rent and utility assistance directly or indirectly related to COVID-19. Additional details for governments and renters regarding the ERAP can be found at Treasury.gov/CARES.
Escambia County has received the following allocations:
Eligible households may receive up to 12 months of rental arrears assistance, plus an additional three months if the local government determines that the household needs additional support to secure housing stability.
The Neighborhood & Human Services staff will oversee implementing the ERA Program at a county level, distributing the federal funds to the households in need in our area. The county must follow the following federal guidelines:
- Households must be obligated to pay rent on residential dwellings in Escambia County, and expenses must have occurred after March 13, 2020.
- Households must be at or below 80% of area median income (AMI) and demonstrate financial hardship caused by COVID-19.
- Payments are to be made directly to the landlord or the utility provider.
- The local government (Escambia County) must provide prioritization for households that are at or below 50% AMI, or that contain a household member that is currently unemployed or has been unemployed for at least 90 days.
CLICK HERE to read the full Policies and Procedures for the ERA Program. These guidelines are meant to provide a framework for consultants and staff to implement the ERA Program and to ensure program compliance and fraud prevention.