COVID Rental Assistance Program

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PROGRAM

The City of Allentown is offering a Rental Assistance Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This offer is limited funding to assist people who are at risk of becoming homeless. If you are facing eviction or any other housing emergency, you may be eligible to receive help with rent repayment and security deposit.

The City's HOME‐Rental Assistance Program provides rental assistance to low‐income individuals who are at risk of homelessness. The program is a part of the City’s strategy to provide housing and supportive services to low‐income members experiencing homelessness city-wide. The program is funded with HOME entitlement funds awarded annually to the City by the HUD.

INCOME

Do you make less than 50 percent of area median income? See Median Income Chart.

REQUIREMENTS

• Highest priority goes to those who live in the City of Allentown AND meet one of the following:
• Dependent children
• Elderly person (head of household or spouse is 62 years of age or older)
• Disabled person (head of household or spouse is disabled)
• Veteran or surviving spouse of veteran (other than dishonorable discharge)
• Working applicant who has lost a job due to COVID-19 (Must have worked at least 32-plus hours per week for the previous 6 months). You may combine job training or an academic program as part of the previous 6-month requirement.
• With risk of Homelessness
• Are in the process of being evicted.
• Have been evicted.
• Are victims of domestic violence.
• Have received a Notice to Vacate prior to April 1, 2020
• If you meet the above requirements, you may apply for Rental Assistance.
• If you require specific accommodations to complete the application, please email RentalAssistance@AllentownPA.gov
• The Rental Assistance Program responds to the urgent need to assist elderly, low-income individuals with risk of homelessness as consequence of loss of funding.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

The rental assistance program will assist tenants with rent payments to avoid eviction for a duration of three (3) months, funds not to surpass $3,000 total per household.

• Each tenant that wishes to benefit from the Rental Assistance Program must apply as primary residence.
• Before awarding rental subsidy, the City of Allentown, HUD Grants Department, will evaluate each application to ensure each tenant complies with the program eligibility requirements.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

To receive assistance, you must provide:

• Documentation related to your emergency. This could be a court-ordered eviction notice, a Notice to Vacate, temporary loss of income etc.
• Your government-issued photo identification. You may need to provide Social Security cards and birth certificates for each person in your household.
• Verification of your income dated within the last 30 days. This could be pay stubs, proof of benefits (from TANF, Social Security, or disability), or proof of any other source of income.

If you are in the process of being evicted, you must provide:

• A letter from your landlord showing the balance owed, dated within 10 days.
• Documentation of assistance from other agencies, if you are part of any other assistance programs.
• A signed copy of your lease.

Your landlord must provide a:

• Current rental license.
• Certificate of Rental Suitability.
• EPA Lead-Safe Certificate if you have a child six or younger living with you.

You can ask your landlord to send you copies of these documents.

To receive assistance with rental security deposit, you must have:

• A letter of approval from the landlord showing the total cost to move in.
• Approval from the landlord to have the proper inspections of the property when we are not in COVID-19.

Please note: Additional forms may need to be completed at the time of application

***All payments will be issued directly to the landlord***

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