Emergency Rent Assistance Program
Has COVID-19 caused you to be laid off or lose your job?
Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance (ERAP) funds in Larimer County and the state of Colorado can help families stay in their homes by, among other things, paying back rent and utilities. To get money, you must meet certain requirements. We’ve teamed with Neighbor to Neighbor for this assistance program; you can apply online or call them at 970-829-0296.
The 2020 Property Owners Program (POP) is no longer available to landlords. Please make use of ERAP to assist your tenants with their rent.
Continue reading to find out more.
Who is eligible to get funds?
- Larimer County residents (with or without citizenship)
- The tenant was unable to pay the property rent or the mobile home lot rent due to COVID-19.
- The monthly household income of the tenant is equal to or less than 80% of the Area Median Income (learn more about Larimer County AMI).
- You (the landlord or tenant) have not yet received rental assistance to cover the renter’s rent for the requested months.
- You complete the aid application and provide all relevant documentation.
- Applicants could be either property owners or tenants. Tenants may make a request for utility payments.
What documents do I need?
- Identification of the primary applicant/government-issued ID
- A signed rental lease by both the renter and the landlord, or another written document naming the applicant as the tenant of the property, the rent amount, and the due date.
- Income information, including the applicant’s name and residence
- Utility bills or official business correspondence sent to the applicant’s address
- A notice of eviction or other documents from your landlord saying that you will be evicted, if applicable. This is optional, however, it aids in application prioritization.
- If you are receiving unemployment benefits, you will be given a letter and/or a statement (s). (This is not required, but it is used to rank applications.)
- All household members who are 18 years of age or older, as well as youngsters with income, must provide proof of income. You only need ONE of the options listed below.
- Option 1: 2020 tax return(s): The “adjusted gross income,” as well as the first four pages of the signed tax return(s) and W-2s, will be required. If your household members file individually, you must upload the return and W-2 for each person who files.
- Option 2: Provide proof of income for the month preceding the application deadline. The documentation may include one or more of the following:
- Paycheck stubs and/or pay summaries for the thirty days prior, if available.
- A letter stating that you are now eligible for unemployment benefits, along with your most recent thirty days’ worth of pay stubs or pay summaries,
- The most recent letter of benefits from the unemployment office, stating the total gross benefit amount
- Letter from your company certifying your gross wages that is up to date (pay rate, hours worked per week, and pay date.)
- Notification of benefits for the current year from Social Security, disability, retirement, pension, or annuity It is required that the benefit amount be provided in the letter describing the benefits.
- Income verification form for those who are self-employed
- The ledger benefit amount displays a worker’s income from freelancing gigs.
- A recent letter from your employer confirming your gross compensation (hours worked per week, pay date, and hourly rate).
- Letter pertaining to the current year for social security, disability, retirement, pension, or annuity benefits A benefit amount must be included in the letter of benefits.
- Form for self-employed individuals to certify their income.
- A ledger that displays the income of gig workers
- Please provide a letter or other documentation of your household’s eligibility for the TANF, Colorado Works, SNAP, or LEAP programs within the past year if your family participates in any of those government assistance programs. Alternately, if you live in a house with rent control, either you or your landlord can provide evidence of your income certification as long as it was issued during the previous year. If you are unable to provide any of the following forms of evidence, we may accept another type of proof instead. Please contact us at 1-888-480-0066 or send an email to COERAP@state.co.us if you need assistance.
Other things to think about before submitting an application
- You will be needed to provide evidence that at least one member of your family has suffered a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or been placed in a position of severe financial hardship as a direct or indirect result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
- You need to provide evidence that at least one member of your household is experiencing housing insecurity or is at risk of becoming homeless.
- You will be required to read and sign a statement stating that everything you give is genuine and that you have not previously received assistance for the months for which you are now asking for assistance. This statement must state that you have not received assistance for the months for which you are now asking for assistance.
How much assistance can I expect?
You have the ability to make a request for assistance for past-due rent for any and all months related to your current flat, up to a maximum of 12 months, for any sums that have not yet been paid.
You are able to make a request for financial assistance for the current month in addition to up to two months’ worth of assistance for the future if you will still be living there and are in need of it.
When can I expect to receive my money?
After you have handed in your application, a navigator from Neighbor to Neighbor will review both it and the supporting documents to determine whether or not you are qualified for the program. It is possible that they will get in touch with you once more to ask for further information in order to fulfill your request.
Should I make arrangements to reimburse it?
No, the Emergency Rent Assistance funds are provided by the United States government, and their purpose is to assist individuals and families in remaining in their homes and avoiding eviction by paying property owners any rent that the tenant was unable to pay due to financial difficulties caused by COVID-19. These funds are not intended to be used to assist individuals in remaining in their homes and avoiding eviction. These funds can also be used to cover utility bills; therefore, if you haven’t paid your electric or natural gas bill since July 2020, the balance on your account will be cleared if you receive these funds.
Is there a cutoff time for the applications?
The answer is that you can still get access to the money until September 2021. Because we will eventually run out of money, your chances of receiving funding will improve if you submit your application sooner rather than later.
Jensen Patrick, a 39-year-old housing and rental assistance specialist, was born and raised in the small town of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He pursued his education in Social Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he became deeply interested in the intricacies of housing laws and their impact on communities. Jensen has spent nearly fifteen years working in various capacities within local government in Wisconsin, developing and implementing programs that support affordable housing and prevent homelessness. His work has earned him recognition as a practical and compassionate advocate for underprivileged populations. Outside of his professional life, Jensen is an avid fisherman and enjoys weekend trips to the Great Lakes with his wife and twin daughters, where they teach the girls the value of conservation and enjoying nature.
