Federal help with paying your rent

If you’re a tenant having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs, help may be available.

The federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program was created to help tenants like you cover housing costs and stay in stable housing during the coronavirus pandemic. Many programs are taking applications from both tenants and landlords. So if you’re a landlord, you’re in the right place too. ERA funds come from the federal government, but local programs are distributing the money in their own communities.

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:

   • Qualified for unemployment or should qualify

   • Lost income

   • Owed large expenses, OR

   • 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