On March 16, the Treasury Department released its second update to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The ERAP provides funding to state and local governments to assist tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with rental assistance and utility payments.
The updates to the frequently asked questions (FAQs):
- Expand the list of permissible “other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or indirectly, to” the COVID-19 outbreak, to include:
- Rental security deposits as permissible relocation expenses;
- Application or screening fees as permissible rental fees;
- The cost of a hotel or motel room occupied by an eligible household (subject to certain conditions).
- Describe the conditions under which a household subject to a “rent-to-own” agreement with a landlord is eligible for ERAP assistance; and
- Clarify that rental payments for a manufactured home and/or the parcel of land the manufactured home occupies are eligible for financial assistance under ERAP.
View the Treasury Department’s updated FAQ.
March 24 Webinar Covers What You Need to Know
To further explain the new guidance, NAHB is hosting a webinar, Implementing & Utilizing an Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Wednesday, March 24, 2-3 p.m. ET. that will cover pertinent requirements those interested in the program should know. Panelists will discuss the requirements of the Emergency Rental Assistance program and the FAQs.
Topics will include eligible households, eligible assistance, and other program rules, as well an overview of how the program is being implemented across the country and how to apply for assistance.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The federal eligibility rules covering which tenants are eligible for assistance.
- The types of and limitations on assistance defined in the federal requirements for what assistance households may receive.
- How the program is being implemented by a variety of grantees and how local decisions and program design can vary.
Register Today. Registration is open until 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 23. For questions about registration, please contact Paul Tinger at [email protected].