Pandemic-related rental assistance program winding down in Allegheny County

Allegheny County and the city of Pittsburgh announced Tuesday that the joint Emergency Rental Assistance Program is winding down, with the last payments going out in May as federal and state funding for the program comes to an end.

New applications for assistance will be accepted until March 31.

The program, intended to prevent evictions resulting from financial hardships related to the covid-19 pandemic, has provided 12,000 households in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County with a combined $79.9 million in rental assistance so far, the county and city said.

When utility assistance is added in, the program has provided more than $84.7 million to date, officials said.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and others are seeking additional funding for the program, which will remain in place so that, if additional money does become available, the funding can be quickly distributed.

The public application portal, however, will close at the end of March.

Those whose applications have been processed and who are currently receiving rent or utility assistance will be able to request up to three more months of payments — meaning they could receive payments through May if funding remains available.

People can request payments for March now. They can begin requesting payments for April and May starting on March 15, officials said.

For those who have not yet applied, officials encouraged them to gather the required documents so that their applications can be reviewed quickly. Applicants will need to show proof of income using documents such as paystubs or W2s and proof of residency, which could include their lease paperwork. Officials also encouraged people to provide documentation that shows their risk of being evicted, such as a notice that they are behind on their rent or utilities.

Officials said they will connect applicants with other, longer-term assistance programs that can help after the Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding dries up. This includes the Low-Income Energy Home Assistance Program, Low-Income Household Water Assistance and the Dollar Energy Fund.

People can apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding online. Those who do not have access to the internet can stop by drop-in centers throughout the county where internet access and computers are available for applicants to use. Centers may also have staff available to answer questions and help upload documents.

ACTION-Housing has scheduled two virtual town halls to provide further information, starting at 12 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Monday. Additional information is available online.

To date, the program has received applications from 29,566 households and awarded an average of $6,554 to eligible applicants for 3.4 months of expenses.

The median household monthly income for applicants is $1,080. The median household monthly income across Allegheny County is $5,082.