The purpose of the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) is to support and ensure that housing stability is maintained throughout the Commonwealth while the coronavirus epidemic is ongoing. Depending on funds available and the level of need within the household, the RRP may provide qualifying families with financial assistance for rent payments. Beginning on April 1, 2020, financial support for past-due rent payments will be offered, with the possibility of renewal depending on the availability of funds, as well as the household’s requirement for more aid and ongoing eligibility. This assistance does not need to be repaid in any way.
On December 1, 2021, the RRP transitioned to a system that required landlords and tenants to use a single application to commence and request rent reduction. Help is available to both tenants and landlords through the RRP Support Center, which may be reached at 1-833-RENT-RELIEF (1-833-736-8735). You can monitor the progress of applications that were submitted using Gov2Go either on the platform itself or by phoning the Support Center.
If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email to rrpsupport@egov.com addressed to the RRP Team.
If you are in danger of being evicted, you can get help by calling 1-833-NOEvict (1-833-663-8428) or visiting evictionhelpline.org.
NEW APPLICATIONS WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THE VIRGINIA RENT RELIEF PORTAL AS OF MAY 15TH.
On May 15, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., the application gateway for the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) will be closed to new applications or those that have been renewed.
The Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program mandates that priority for assistance be given to households with incomes that are less than fifty percent of the median income for the area or households in which one or more members have been unemployed for the ninety days immediately preceding the date of application. After April 21, 2022, any applications that are submitted will be prioritized according to these criteria, and they will be processed in the order that they were received, beginning with the earliest.
Up to the 31st of March, the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP) had processed and delivered almost $713 million in rent relief payments to 141,330 different houses located throughout the state. During the epidemic, the initiative’s goal was to maintain tenant stability while also ensuring that landlords received timely payments.
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will continue to work with partners and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to establish comprehensive strategies to improve the availability of affordable housing, address and prevent evictions, and reduce housing impediments.
Questions and Answers Regarding the Shutting Down of the RRP Application Portal
PRIORITIZATION OF RRP APPLICATIONS
The Virginia Rent Relief Program is guided by the idea of providing rent assistance in a fair and equal manner across the state (RRP). Priority is given to households that are currently facing eviction, have an income that is at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and/or contain an adult who has been unemployed for more than 90 days. As of the beginning of July 2021, when the program began delivering payments to households, more than 79 percent of all households were at or below 30 percent of the region median income. This figure is correct as of the first of July, 2021.
Furthermore, the DHCD is working to promote RRP in communities that have historically been economically disadvantaged. According to RRP data as of July 1st, 2021, families headed by black people account for around 52 percent of those served, while households headed by white people account for 23 percent of those served. Over 67% of the households that have received assistance had children under the age of eight. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has established the RRP Outreach and Engagement grant as part of this initiative to provide strategic assistance to households and landlords who have limited Internet access or are unable to complete the online RRP application due to accessibility and language barriers.
THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN THE COUNTIES OF CHESTERFIELD AND FAIRFAX
It is important to note that Chesterfield County and Fairfax County each have their own distinctive set of local initiatives. The United States Department of the Treasury has submitted requests for rental assistance to ACTS, the organization that administers Chesterfield County’s Rent and Utility Relief Program, that are greater than the number of resources that are now available. ACTS has shut down the application portal and is no longer accepting any new requests until further resources become available. However, the organization will continue to distribute the money that is already available within the program up until all of the funds have been depleted. An ACTS caseworker will get in touch with all of the households that had submitted an application before the 14th of December, 2021, in order to offer an update on the status of their application and the resources that are currently available. You can get in touch with the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services via their website (https://www.chesterfield.gov/569/Social-Services), by sending them an email ([email protected]), or by giving them a call ([phone number]). They offer additional emergency financial assistance services.
TOOLKIT FOR RETAIL PRICE POSITIONING
In order to assist in spreading the news about rent relief for persons who have been impacted by the epidemic, we kindly ask that you share any documents from our Marketing Toolkit with your members or group. Printing or emailing the flyers and infographic allows you to distribute them to the members of your organization or other constituents. You may also download files for social media and publish them on the social media sites you use to assist in the dissemination of the news. In the top right-hand corner of the documents, there will be a tiny sign that says “download,” and there will also be an alert that pops up. You will be brought to that page as soon as you click the OK button on the website.
RRP Landlord Flier | RRP Landlord Fliers in Multiple Languages
RRP Tenant Flier | RRP Tenant Fliers in Multiple Languages
RRP Application Tips Illustration
RRP Social Media Illustrations (English)
RRP Social Media Illustrations (Spanish)
Angela Silva, a dedicated 42-year-old consultant specializing in government housing and rental assistance, hails from Sydney, Australia. She completed her education with a degree in Urban Planning from the University of New South Wales. Angela’s career has been marked by her relentless advocacy for affordable housing solutions, where she has worked extensively with both local governments and international agencies in Asia-Pacific regions. Her initiatives have led to the development of sustainable housing projects that cater to low-income families. Outside of her professional environment, Angela enjoys a peaceful life with her partner and their two adopted dogs, engaging in community gardening and urban sustainability projects.
