Emergency Rental Program help in Sublette County
by Wyoming Department of Family Services
October 15, 2021
CHEYENNE, WYOMING - Are you struggling to pay your rent or utilities? You are not alone, and it is not your fault. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Wyoming renters need a little extra help right now. SAFV Task Force is ready to help eligible households get the assistance they deserve through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
The federally funded program officially launched on April 29 in Wyoming with $180 million available to eligible renters struggling to make rent, internet, and utility payments, as well as housing stability services. The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), with assistance from the Department of Workforce Services (DWS), is administering ERAP and has dedicated $1M of the federal funds to contract with community based organizations to provide local in-person application assistance.
Learn more and apply at dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
For local in-person assistance, please go to SAFV Task Force, located at 253 N Sublette in Pinedale. Walk in from 5 - 6 p.m Monday and Wednesday. Or call 307-367-6305 for an appointment.
Getting eligible Wyoming residents rental assistance is very important. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an estimated 23,515 Wyoming renters may be eligible for this financial assistance, spending more than 30% of their income on rent.
As of Oct 7, ERAP has approved a total of 2,101 applications, or 54% of submitted applications, paying a total of $7.3M in assistance. Of the rental payments, $5.7M went to landlords, $1.1M to renters and $495K to utilities. To see county specific information, click here to see the map.
Another 3,887 renter applications have been submitted and are under review. Once submitted, applications go through the eligibility and benefit determination process, which can take up to 30 days.
ERAP eligibility requirements include:
Being a renter in Wyoming or having unpaid rent on a previous Wyoming residence
Having a household income of less than 80% of the area’s median income. Sublette County renters meet the income eligibility requirement if they have an annual income of $52,300 for a one-person household, $59,750 for a two-person household, $67,200 for a three-person household and $74,650 for four-person household.
Qualifying for unemployment benefits or being able to show direct or indirect financial loss because of COVID-19 or being able to show that financial loss occurred during the COVID pandemic
Being at risk of losing housing
Eligible households can obtain assistance for unpaid past due rent and utility services incurred after March 13, 2020 - even at a previous residence. Eligible expenses also include unpaid current and future rent (up to three months at a time) for up to 18 months total of rent and/or utilities. Eligible utility costs include: electricity; energy costs (fuel, oil, propane); water and sewer; and internet service (up to $50 per month). Other eligible expenses, done on a case by case basis, may include reasonable relocation expenses, security deposits, and reasonable late fees.
Additionally, ERAP has provided $1M to Equal Justice Wyoming for legal services to eligible households facing eviction and/or other housing instability. If facing eviction, please contact Legal Aid of Wyoming, which is a sub-recipient of Equal Justice Wyoming. They may be able to provide other legal assistance to eligible ERAP renters living in Wyoming. Visit www.lawyoming.org or call 1-877-432-9955 for Legal Aid.
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