Palm Beach County, FL Emergency Rental Assistance Program
What do you need to apply?
Two forms of IDs for each family member can include:
- birth certificate
- driver’s license
- alien registration card
- employment permit
- voter’s registration card
- Social Security card
- current school records
Verification of income
Individuals or families must earn less than 110 percent of the federal poverty line to qualify for emergency rental assistance (click here to access current FPLG). You keep the remaining 150 percent. For purposes of determining eligibility and providing services, the applicant shall be considered the head of the family. Under no circumstances will delinquent accounts registered in the name of a minor be refunded (18). Individuals under the age of 18 who are unable to demonstrate their emancipation and/or legal guardianship shall be denied services.
Households that have not experienced a reduction in income as a result of COVID-19 are now eligible to apply for electric and utility services. Rental Assistance is only available to households that have been affected by COVID-19, either directly or indirectly, and are eligible for assistance. It is anticipated that the intake for rent and utility (ERA) for clients who have been impacted by Covid will remain open until further notice. As of now, the intake for non-covid crisis electric assistance (LIHEAP) will continue to be accepted until further notice.
Does the program assist with past-due utility bills?
Hundreds of families in Palm Beach County suffer utility service interruption on a daily basis. Those unable to pay their energy bills can get help from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which aims to keep their services from being cut off.
Efforts are made to guarantee that the most vulnerable families are included in the program. Home visits, telephone interviews, and group intakes are used to help the elderly and people with special needs.
The nearest Community Action Service Center can be contacted to request assistance.
A group intake can be scheduled by calling 561-355-4792 for more information or to make an appointment.
It’s about assisting individuals to create better communities.
Applications are being prioritized by the Community Services Department.
The program provides assistance to households with incomes less than 50% of the area median income and to households with one or more members who have been unemployed for at least 90 days was established in the PPM and made automated through the online application system, OSCARSS (Office of Social and Community Services).
In accordance with the information provided in the application, the system assigns each applicant a priority level based on that information. In order to demonstrate the percentage of AMI, the length of unemployment, or proof of housing insecurity, documentation is required.
Applications with a higher priority are reviewed first and on a daily basis, starting with the most urgent. Continuous monitoring is conducted to ensure that priority status applications are processed in a timely manner. Reviewers are able to see which applications have been prioritized in their queues for processing. Reports are generated on a regular basis, providing program managers with a tool for ensuring that the applications with the highest priority are processed first and foremost.