Montgomery County Emergency Rental Assistance Program
For renters in Montgomery County who are experiencing difficulties paying their rent or energy bills as a result of COVID-19 or other challenges caused by the epidemic, you may be eligible for assistance.
Do you have any of the following:
Have you suffered a financial loss as a result of COVID, either directly or indirectly? You must demonstrate that COVID-19 has resulted in at least one of the following outcomes:
Apply for unemployment benefits on your own behalf or on behalf of a member of your household.
Your household’s income has been reduced, or your household’s expenses have been dramatically increased.
Your family has suffered yet another form of financial difficulty as a result of this.
Do you have evidence of a danger of homelessness or housing instability?
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE HELP, FIRST DETERMINE YOUR INCOME.
Individuals whose income is less than 80% of the area median income at the time of application are eligible to be considered for assistance.
The Median Family Income for the Philadelphia/Camden/Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for Fiscal Year 2021 is $94,500, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To be eligible for ERUC, you must earn less than the Low Income Limit of 80 percent of the federal poverty level.
The following are the figures for 80 percent Area Median Income:
- For a household of one, the cost is $52,950.
- For a two-person family, the cost is $60,500.
- For a family of three, the cost is $68,500.
- Approximately $75,600 for a four-person family.
- For a family of five, the cost is $81,650.
- For a family of six, the cost is $87,700.
- For a family of seven, the figure is $93,750.
- For a family of eight, the cost is $99,800.
- The 50 percent income limit for those with very low income.
The following is the Area Median Income at 50% of the Area Median Income:
- For a family of one, the cost is $33,100.
- For a family of two, the cost is $37,800.
- For a three-person family, the cost is $42,550.
- For a family of four, the cost is $47,250.
- For a family of five, the cost is $51,050.
- Approximately $54,850 for a household of six.
- 58,600 dollars for a household of seven.
- For a family of eight, the cost is $62,400.
NOTE: Earned income, child support, welfare payments, SSI, SSDI, unemployment income, workers’ compensation, and pension/investments/401(k) plans are all considered income sources (k). The amount of income that is considered eligible will be determined by the average gross income for the 30 days preceding the time of application.
Collect the following documentation for your project:
- If you have a copy of your lease, make a copy of it. If you don’t have any proof of regular rental payments at that address, please obtain bank statements or utility bills with your name and rental address printed on them to provide to us. It’s possible that a letter from your landlord will suffice.
- Some form of photo identification is required.
- If you have an overdue rent or utility notice, you should bring it with you. This could be provided by your landlord or a utility company such as PECO. (Please keep in mind that having past-due rent or utility bills is not a criterion for participation in the program.)
- Please provide proof of current income for all ADULTS in your family. Included in this category are items such as pay stubs, disability and social security benefits, unemployment benefits, child support and alimony, among others, as well as any other source of current, active, steady income.
- If you are receiving or have sought for unemployment benefits, you must provide proof of your eligibility.
Contact us.
Call 2-1-1 or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
If you prefer, you can also contact any of our partner organizations:
ACLAMO (Se Habla Español)
Visit aclamo.org.
Or call 610 277-2570 (Pottstown area) or 610 970-2134 (Norristown area).
Family Services of Montgomery County
Visit fsmontco.org.
Email ERUC@fsmontco.org.
Or call 610 630-2111 ext. 235.
Manna on Main Street
Visit mannaonmain.org/free-help/getting-help.
Or call 215 855-5454.
Tri-County Area YWCA (Se Habla Español)
Visit ywcatricountyarea.org/ERUC.
CADCOM
Visit cadcom.org/pre-screen-form-eruc-cadcom.
Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities
Visit pottstowncluster.org/covidrentutilityassistance.
Or call 484 393-5441.
Prioritization Guidelines for the Program
When it comes to providing financial help and home stabilization to households that have been directly touched by COVID-19, Your Way Home in Montgomery County places a high value on an equitable approach. ERUC-CV seeks to have the greatest impact possible on reducing housing instability and homelessness for the most vulnerable households by focusing assistance on households with 30 percent or lower Area Median Income (AMI), households that have been unemployed for 90 days or more, and households located in specific census tracts. Renters in need of assistance should consult the Emergency Rental Assistance Priority Index, which takes into account both the risk factors that existed prior to the pandemic and the economic consequences of the pandemic. It also takes into account risk factors that are more prevalent among certain groups, such as Black and Indigenous renters, as well as Latinx renters. This tool should be used to inform the provision of help by identifying census tracts within Montgomery County that have high priority indices and locating them.
Priority will be given to the following types of households when they request assistance:
1. Have a household income of 30 percent or less, or have been unemployed for 90 days prior to applying to the program; in addition, there is a formal eviction notice or a shutoff notice issued. In addition, the Household must reside in one of the following zip codes: 19401, 19405, 19406, 19464, 19446, or 19027 (or a combination of these).
2. Have a household income of 30 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), or have been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying for the program; in addition, have rent or utility arrears. In addition, the Household must reside in one of the following zip codes: 19401, 19405, 19406, 19464, 19446, or 19027 (or a combination of these).
3. Have a household income of 30 percent or less, or have been unemployed for 90 days prior to applying to the program; in addition, there is a formal eviction notice or a shutoff notice issued.
4. Have a household income of 30 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), or have been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying for the program; in addition, have rent or utility arrears.
In addition, a formal eviction notice or a cutoff notice is sent if the applicant’s AMI is 50 percent or lower, or if the applicant has been unemployed for 90 days prior to admission to the program.
6. Have a household income of 50 percent or less of the area median income, or have been unemployed for at least 90 days before to applying for the program; in addition, have rent or utility arrears.
7. Have an AMI of 80 percent or less, or have been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying for the program; in addition, there is a formal eviction notice or a shutoff notice issued.
8. The applicant has an AMI of 80 percent or less, or has been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying for the program; in addition, there are rent or utility arrears on their account.
9. Any and all other homes that match the program’s qualifying criteria.
INFORMATION ABOUT US
The Your Way Home Emergency Rent and Utility Coalition seeks to accomplish the following goals:
Educate the public and policymakers about the needs of low-income and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families and individuals in Montgomery County who are on the verge of homelessness as a result of poverty brought on by a health crisis, job loss, pay inequality, underemployment, and/or institutionalized racism.
In order to learn more about ALICE, please see https://www.uwp.org/alice/about-alice/.
Advocate for increased public and private support for emergency rent and utility assistance programs for both Your Way Home-sponsored and independently funded service providers, including but not limited to housing and utility assistance.
Create a forum for emergency rent and utility service providers and funders to collaborate on resources, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative solutions for the benefit of the community in need.
HOMEOWNERS CAN GET ASSISTANCE
In the event that you have been unable to make your mortgage payments as a result of a COVID-19-related hardship, please see this link from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for information on how to receive assistance.