Federal, City, and State Rental Assistance Programs

From 2021 to 2022, the federal government established the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to help with the burden of paying for rent and housing expenses.

The first program under the ERAP provided $25 billion in 2021, and the second up to almost $22 billion to states, territories, and local governments to distribute to citizens confronting rental issues.

In January 2023, the government reallocated additional funds to the second program.

State and local governments have used the money to help renters and landlords keep pace with rent and housing costs.

• Fresno, California, received about $54 million from the ERAP, and also has community organizations helping renters and landlords.
• Miami, Florida, received over $5 million in additional funding from the U.S. government in January 2023 and is currently reviewing rent assistance applications.
• San Francisco, California, recently stopped accepting new applications for rental assistance because it needed to focus on the backlog of existing ones.
• Denver, Colorado, has followed the same path and closed off new applications.
• Illinois has stopped accepting applications for its federally-backed program, but is still offering rental assistance through its Department of Human Services. Residents there can receive up to $25,000 in rental assistance.
• Massachusetts has three ongoing state programs consisting of housing and rental vouchers.

So, while federal funding may not provide ongoing support, state-level programs are distributing money to aid renters.

The best advice is to check local and state government websites.

 

Rent Control Programs

Faced with ongoing increases in rental rates, many cities have turned to rent control, which provides another avenue for rental assistance.

Rent control, or rent stabilization, is a term for a program that places a maximum on how much a landlord can raise the rent in one year. This can be a major benefit to renters, including those who are relocating to a new city.

Several cities in California, such as Santa Monica and Pasadena established rental control measures with the last midterm elections. These measures will provide relief to the roughly 20 million people who rent in this state by setting a maximum annual increase in the range of .5% to 5%.

Across the country, Portland, Maine, and Orlando, Florida, also recently approved ballot measures that limit how much rent can increase annually.

While rent control is gaining momentum, it is also banned in over 30 states, including Minnesota, Alabama, New Mexico, and Washington. Onlytwo states have state-wide rental control: California and Oregon.

Several states have rent control measures that operate on the municipal level, such as with Maine, New York, and Maryland.

Since the fall of 2022, a tenants’ rights movement has formed that has continued to push for state and federal rental control programs. This movement has argued that an executive order may be necessary for both renters and federally-backed home mortgages.

As with rental assistance programs, it is best to check with state and local government websites for updates on this topic.

 

Non-Government Rental Assistance Programs

Non-government organizations have also provided relief to those struggling with rental payments.

What are referred to as Community Action Organizations are a range of local to national non-profit and private groups that provide a range of services to help with rent and utility expenses.

Friends in Deed is a national non-profit organization that provides short-term rental support to help with rents and potential evictions through local chapters.
United Way 211 is also a non-profit organization that aids low-income families with emergency rent support. Net Wish also provides this type of emergency-based support for renters.

So, renters can look beyond the government for help, especially in pressing situations.

 

Rental Assistance and Advice

Even with rent control measures, rental rates will likely continue to rise this year. To learn more about rental assistance and advice, visit YourHousingSupport.com. Support for renting can be found in 2023.