For
Immediate Release:
October
26, 2021
County announces changes to the
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
ERAP provides rental assistance to eligible
households
FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth
County Board of County Commissioners announced important changes to the emergency
rental assistance program, “Monmouth County ERAP.” The changes include raising
the total maximum amount of funds that applicants are eligible to receive and reimbursement
for costs associated with temporary hotel or motel stays for families who are
not income-eligible for traditional emergency housing programs.
The
purpose of the Monmouth County ERAP is to prevent evictions
and homelessness by providing rental assistance for eligible households in
Monmouth County making less than 80% of area median income (AMI) in accordance
with the federal program guidelines.
“The Monmouth County ERAP will now allow eligible households
to receive up to $30,000 for rental costs incurred on or after March 13, 2020. The
Monmouth County ERAP applications can include rental arrears, prospective rent
up to three months to prevent homelessness or housing instability, and
household-related expenses such as relocation fees, late fees associated with
rental payments and security deposits,” said Commissioner Director Thomas
A. Arnone. “Funding is now available for reimbursement of costs associated with
temporary hotel or motel stays for families who are not income-eligible for the
traditional emergency housing programs but fall below the 80 percent AMI.”
The
increase in the total maximum amount of funds from $15,000 per eligible
household to $30,000 per eligible household is in response to the number of
ERAP applications received by the County to date requesting additional
financial assistance. It is important to note that any prior application that
exceeded the $15,000 limit will be automatically re-evaluated by the County to
determine eligibility for additional funding under the new $30,000 threshold.
“The County is
working, in partnership, with 11 community-based agencies and organizations
that are active members of Monmouth ACTS to help identify potential applicants
for the Monmouth County ERAP and assist them with the application process,” said Commissioner Deputy Director
Susan M. Kiley. “A list of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) can be found on
the Monmouth County ERAP web portal and we are thankful to them for their
assistance with this program.”
Tenant eligibility requirements include:
- Must reside in the rental unit located in Monmouth County, NJ as
their primary residence.
- Must have experienced a loss of household income, incurred a
significant cost or is facing a financial hardship due directly to
COVID-19.
- Must meet program income eligibility requirements.
Landlord eligibility requirements
include:
- The rental property in question must be located in Monmouth County,
NJ.
- The Landlord must be either the owner of record in accordance with property
tax records, business interest or authorized managing agent.
The County
has received direct funding in the amount of $38,410,914.20 from the United
States Department of Treasury under the Emergency Rental Assistance Program
(“ERAP 1”, “ERAP 2” and “ERAP 2 High Need”).
For more information, visit www.monmouthcountyerap.com or call (848) 801-1297 between 8:00
am and 6:00 pm Monday through Friday or 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturday.
# # #