Lehigh County

Lehigh County Emergency Rental Assistance Program

This material is intended for anyone who may be at risk of eviction or who has been unable to pay their rent during the COVID crisis and would like to learn more. ERAP is the name of a statewide program that provides this service. Please review the information below for more information on how to apply.

What exactly does the program entail?

Residents may be eligible for rent assistance for up to 12 months, which can be used to cover past, current, and/or future monthly rent payments.

Payments for utility assistance will be issued exclusively for arrearages (past due amounts), which may include electric, natural gas and water bills as well as septic tank and trash service.

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be an inhabitant of the county of Lehigh.
  • You’ll have to rent out your house or flat.
  • Demonstrate that the COVID-19 epidemic has a financial impact on the organization.

*Must be eligible for unemployment benefits OR must have experienced a reduction in income OR must have incurred significant living expenses as a result of COVID-19 OR must have experienced other financial hardship as a result of COVID-19, whether directly or indirectly, that threatens the ability to pay the costs of the rental property or the tenant-paid utilities when they become due.

Income Restrictions for this Program:

The following are the income restrictions for this program:

  • 1 Individual – $45,850
  • $52,400 for two people
  • $58,950 for a three-person group.
  • $65,500 for a four-person group.
  • $70,750 for a group of five people.
  • A group of six people costing $76,000
  • A total of 7 people – $81,250
  • $86,500 for a group of eight people

In order to complete the application, you must have the following items:

  • Provide an email address where you may get updates about your application.
  • Your landlord’s contact information, including his or her name, phone number, and email address
  • Income information is required in order to declare your household income.
  • If you are requesting utility assistance, please bring your most current utility bills with you.
  • Copy of identification (government-issued photo ID or driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued identification)
  • Identification with a proof of residence if it is different from the ID

Following are the items that your LANDLORD will need to provide:

  • Lease
  • Proof of ownership of a piece of real estate (deed, insurance, taxes, etc.)
  • W-9
  • Information about how to make a direct deposit using ACH
  • Rent documentation is required.

APPLY HERE

Please contact us if you require assistance with your application.

Call the Community Action offices at 610.691.5620 for more information.

Suggestions that are beneficial

  • When creating your account, choose an email address that you check on a regular basis to ensure that you receive status updates in a timely manner.
  • Make a note of your log-in details and save it in a secure location.
  • Before beginning the application, make sure you have all of the required papers (as indicated above).
  • When uploading documents, double-check each one to ensure that it is clear and can be viewed without difficulty.
  • Inform your landlord and utility companies that you are submitting an application for this financial aid.

What happens once you submit your application?

  • Your completed application will be examined by the Community Action team to determine whether or not you are eligible for assistance, as well as the amount of assistance you will get if you do qualify.
  • Once your application has been completed, you will receive an email informing you whether or not your application has been approved for payment.
  • It is possible that your application will take several weeks to be processed.
  • You will not be able to obtain information about the status of your application over the phone.
  • You can check on the status of your application at any moment by going into your account on the site and searching for it.

Residents of Northampton County can use the following resources:

  • Those who live in the City of Easton should call the Project of Easton at 610.258.1100 Ext. 13 for more information.
  • New Bethany Ministries can be reached at 610.691.5602 Ext. 217 if you live in Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, Hellertown, or Lower Saucon Township.
  • Easton Area Neighborhood Center (610.253.4253) can be reached by those who live in the city of Easton, as well as Glendon, West Easton, Wilson, and Williams Township.
  • The Third Street Alliance can be reached at 610.438.1244 for those who live in any of the other communities in Northampton County.

Residents in Monroe County should be aware of the following:

Contact Pocono Mountains United Way by phone at 570.517.3953 or by email 

Requests for appeals must be made in writing and forwarded to the following address:

Lehigh County Department of Community and Economic Development

Attention: Heidi Miller

Grants Administrator

17 South 7th Street

Allentown, PA 18101

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