How to Claim Rental Assistance In Philadelphia without the Wait

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How to Claim Rental Assistance In PA In 5 Minutes

With the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the state of Pennsylvania received approximately $569 million that could be used to help with paying for shelter and living arrangements. The was made specifically to help those who have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and required critical financial aid.

How Do I Apply for Rent in Pennsylvania?

To apply for , all that you have to do is go online and proceed to apply through the COMPASS portal. If your county is not included in the company registry, you will be redirected to the ERAP agency designated for your locale to proceed to the next step. All Pennsylvania applications are submitted and processed on a county-by-county basis, so it'd be wise to make sure that you look into the specific terms applicable to your county on the Department of Health Services website dealing specifically with Pennsylvania relief packages.

Who Is Eligible for Rental Pennsylvania?

There were about 49 counties that did not receive direct rental assistance allocations from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. However, on 5 February 2021, Governor Wolf signed an official ordinance into law that designated the Department of Human Services (DHS) as an organization that administers ERAP to take care of the remainder of counties that weren't included in the initial allocation spread. After being put into order, all Pennsylvanians who meet the financial need requirements can be eligible for receiving rental assistance.

In terms of basic qualifications, take note that the applicant:

  1. Must be responsible for costs for residential property in addition to one or more people within the household having qualified for unemployment benefits.
  2. Had increased household costs.
  3. Is experiencing financial hardship or having had a substantial decrease in income directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In certain circumstances, even indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered eligibility-warranting factors. Eligibility may also be granted to those with households that have one or more individuals who show the risk of experiencing housing instability or homelessness due to a pandemic. In terms of general income, the household must have an income that is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

The amount of relief that will be provided to those who are approved for receiving rental assistance will depend on the county in question. Any resources such as bank accounts or property such as automobiles will not be considered when making your application.

How to Use DoNotPay to Get Rental Assistance

DoNotPay can compose a letter to your local housing authority based on your situation and inquire about your best options for receiving assistance. Here are the four steps:

  1. Search for Rental Assistance on DoNotPay.
  2. Put together a list of your income, debts, expenses, and assets. If you need help accessing information like your credit report, DoNotPay can help you get your report.
  3. Let DoNotPay collect your basic information and compose a letter to your local housing authority requesting rental assistance.
  4. Lastly, DoNotPay will send your letter to your local housing authority.

Why Use DoNotPay to Help With Rental Assistance

DoNotPay's rental assistance service presents three compelling reasons to invest in the system as a normal rental assistance resource. The following are the basic fundamental traits that will create the best possible picture of why DoNotPay is such a good pick:

  • DoNotPay is a sublimely fast-acting service that gets things done in record time, helping you achieve the results that you need at a quick pace without sacrificing any proficiency in the process.
  • DoNotPay is a process that helps you eliminate trial and error and make things satisfyingly easy, getting rid of all of the unnecessary headaches from doing things manually.
  • DoNotPay is a highly reliable service that you can count on for creating the highest possible chance of success.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

DoNotPay is not only helpful for getting you the rental assistance you need in your local county but also assisting with information related to or any other information you might want to get more details about.

The following are also the more contextual ways that DoNotPay can be of incredible help to get more information and resources will help in the areas related to emergency rental assistance nationwide:

Rental Housing Assistance ProgramResources for Rental Assistance
Government Assistance for RentHUD Rental Assistance

Helping you with rental assistance is only a drop in the bucket of our services. These are just a few examples of how we can advocate for you:

If you're ready to move forward with one of the best resources you can have and ensure that you can get the best chance of rental assistance approval, you can .

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