Rental assistance available

WYO HELP is calling for renters in Crook County who experienced financial hardship during the pandemic to make use of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The program was created to help those who have been struggling to make rent, utility and internet payments due to COVID-19.

ERAP is a new federal program that has distributed $25 billion throughout the nation for households unable to pay rent and utilities due to the pandemic. Of that funding, $180 million is now available for eligible Wyoming renters.

Though ERAP is administered by the Department of Family Services, WYO HELP, a nonprofit previously known as Goshen HELP, is the designated local agency to provide assistance with applications.

Funding through ERAP can be used to cover past, current and future unpaid bills. Potential expenses that can be covered through the program include unpaid rent and utility payments up to three months at a time, unpaid past rent and utility incurred after March 13, 2020, even if it’s at a previous residence; and utilities including electricity, energy, water and sewer and internet service (up to $50 per month.)

The program does not cover expenses such as mortgage payments, maintenance costs, home security, landscaping, homeowners’ association fees, commercial leases, cable or telephone.

To be eligible for ERAP, you must meet four criteria. Firstly, you must either rent your home in Wyoming or have unpaid rent on a previous residence in Wyoming.

Secondly, your household income must be equal to or less than 80% of the area median income. According to WYO HELP, this would be an annual income at or below $45,400 for a one-person household, $51,850 for two people, $58,350 for three people, $64,800 for four people, $70,000 for five people, $75,200 for six people or $80,400 for seven people.

The remaining criteria are that you must have qualified for unemployment benefits or be able to show financial loss due to COVID-19; and that you must be at risk of homelessness or housing instability.

“They have to document in some way that their housing is at risk. That most often comes in the form of an eviction notice, but could be laid out in narrative form to document where an upcoming event will place them at risk,” explains Kyle Borger, Executive Director of WYO HELP.

If you are a landlord whose renters are struggling to pay their rent, ERAP can directly pay you the unpaid amount if your renter meets the criteria. To apply, you will need to fill out the landlord application, which will ask you for information including the renter’s email address, a signed copy of the lease, photo ID and any eviction notice documentation.

Landlords cannot apply on their own, explains Borger, but can do so in conjunction with their renters. Landlords are encouraged to share information with this program with their renters, who may not know that it exists, and help those renters collect the necessary information.

If your renters have already applied for ERAP assistance, you will be sent a notification through email; if the landlord does not respond within ten days, eligible payments may go directly to the renter.

“This program is renter dependent,” Borger explains.

“The landlord has to have permission from the renter and the renter must complete paperwork. The landlord is also requested to provide information, but funds can be dispersed if the landlord does not participate.”

The estimated timeline for your application to be processed and payments to be issued is four weeks. For assistance with your application, contact WYO HELP at 307-532-0269.

“By combining our agency resources with ERAP, WYO HELP is able to provide a full-time case manager in Crook county to provide housing stabilization assistance and work with other community partners to address other needs that exist within the community,” says Borger.

The nonprofit is also hoping to continue its contract with DFS to provide assistance through the Homeowner Relief Act, Borger says, which provided $30 million to Wyoming for mortgage assistance but is still working its way through the state.