Emergency Rental Assistance Program
If you lost your job or are experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may qualify for rent or utility assistance through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
What is covered?
ERAP helps renters with paying rent, past-due rent balances (also known as arrears), utility and home energy costs, utility and home energy cost arrears, and other housing expenses.
Rent expenses include rent, rent arrears, rental costs for trailers and trailer lots, and may include long-term housing hotels, motels, and boarding homes.
Utilities include electricity, gas, water, sewer, trash removal and energy costs, such as fuel oil.
Other expenses related to housing include but are not limited to relocation expenses, rental fees, reasonable late fees, internet services for work, home schooling, telemedicine, etc.
Do I qualify?
Pennsylvanians can apply for themselves as tenants, or a landlord can apply on behalf of current tenant(s).
A household must be responsible to pay rent on a residential property, and:
- One or more people within the household have qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- One or more individuals in the household can show a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; AND
- The household has an income at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI).
Income limits vary by county. The household's annual income must be equal to or less than 80 percent of the AMI for their county. View income limits for your county.
How do I apply?
Applications for most counties can be submitted online at www.COMPASS.state.pa.us. Allegheny County Residents should apply through the Allegheny County Emergency Rental Assistance website.
If your county is not participating in the COMPASS application, you will automatically be notified so you can apply directly with your county. If your county will not accept applications submitted through COMPASS, you can download and print an application OR get an application from your County ERAP office. County ERAP office information can be found by visiting the DHS website.
Apply Now
Information originally posted on the DHS website.
