DES Rental Assistance – Arizona Update

DES Rental Assistance-Arizona

History of the Program

The DES Emergency Rental Assistance Program provided rent and utility assistance to COVID-19-affected renters in Arizona. Eligible households could receive up to $3,500 monthly in combined rent and utility assistance for up to 18 months, totaling $63,000 in benefits. This 18-month total comprised half and complete months from the past, present, and future (this included all rental assistance payments). After 18 months of ERAP benefits had been distributed, no further assistance was provided.

What was DES?

DES stood for the Department of Economic Security (DES) in Arizona. Its primary role was to help residents seeking unemployment benefits and accessing social services. DES played a pivotal role in supporting individuals and families in need.

Arizona’s Department of Economic Security offered various programs to assist residents with social services, including unemployment benefits. Individuals were encouraged to familiarize themselves with the available DES programs to access necessary support during challenging times.

On February 12, 2022, the Arizona program became available to the inhabitants of Phoenix.

Residents of the City of Phoenix who had previously applied for and received emergency rental assistance or utilities through the City of Phoenix or Wildfire were not eligible for the DES ERAP program.

Applicants could call (602) 534-2433 with any queries about their current application.

Renters in Maricopa (excluding City of Phoenix residents), Pima, and Yuma Counties were not eligible for rental assistance through this program, but they may have been eligible for other city—or county-run programs. The section below titled “Other City and County-Operated Programs” provided more information.

Utility-Only Assistance: Renters in ALL 15 Arizona counties could apply for utility-only assistance through the ERAP portal’s Easy Apply feature.

Eligibility

A renter could receive help with rent and utilities if they lived in a designated area and met the following federal requirements:

• Proof that the renter was at risk of being homeless, had unstable housing, or lived in a dangerous place:
  • Notice to vacate
  • Notice of utility shutoff
  • Past due rent notice
  • Past-due utility notice
  • Other signs of unsafe, unhealthy, or unstable living conditions
• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the renter or a member of the household.
• The renter’s household income was less than or equal to 80% of the area median income (AMI).

The maximum household income for the Arizona Rental Assistance Program was 80% of the AMI.

Instructions on How to Apply for Rental Assistance in Arizona

Applicants applied for assistance with rent and utilities through the ERAP online platform. Paper applications or phone support at 1-833-912-0878 were available.

Interested renters seeking rental assistance had to provide lease agreements, photo ID, utility bills, disconnection notices, proof of income, eviction notices, and documentation of hardship.

Easy Apply: The utility-only application process was simplified via Easy Apply, requiring only recent utility bills and a few eligibility questions. No landlord cooperation was required.

Details Regarding the Payment

Eligible households received up to $3,500/month for up to 18 months, totaling $63,000. This included past, present, and future months (inclusive of all ERAP assistance).

Payments could be made to renters, utility companies, or landlords (if participating).

Appeals

If denied rent or utility assistance, applicants could appeal using the ERAP & LIHWAP Appeal Request form within 60 days of the decision.

Anti-fraud measures

DES used ID.me for identity verification to prevent fraud. Applicants were guided via a secure link and instructions.

If ID.me could not be used, applicants could submit paper forms and government-issued IDs. Landlord representatives verified identities via ID.me before submitting financial data.

Suspected fraud could be reported online or by calling (800) 251-2436 or (602) 542-9449.

Removal Prevention

ERAP aimed to reduce housing instability from COVID-19. Landlords agreed not to evict for at least 30 days after receiving payment.

Landlords involved in legal proceedings could receive $500 for legal costs. Participation was encouraged to support housing stability in Arizona.

Eviction Moratorium Status

The CDC’s eviction moratorium ended on August 26, 2021. Tenants behind on rent were again at risk.

Programs like the Emergency Rental Aid Program provided support. Legal help was available via azevictionhelp.org and clsaz.org.

Other Programs Operated by Local Municipalities and Counties

Residents of Maricopa, Pima, and Yuma counties were ineligible for DES ERAP but had access to local resources.

[…Local programs table retained unchanged…]

Please contact us

You could reach the Emergency Rental Assistance Program at 1-833-912-0878, operating Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.