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Multnomah County Emergency Rent Assistance

Information
Local rent relief for tenant households with incomes at or below 80% area median income who have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19.

Multnomah County COVID-19 Rent Relief

To apply for local rent assistance, please contact 211 or visit their website for more help.

More information on 211info website

Additional resources:

Resources for Landlords and Tenants

Eviction Help for Renters


About the ERAP Program

Completed July 2021 - December 2022. The information below is for reference only. If you are looking for rent assistance, please contact 211.

Over 40 agencies in Multnomah County partnered to deliver rent assistance through the COVID-19 Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) program.

Multnomah County, Portland Housing Bureau, Joint Office for Homeless Services, and Home Forward’s COVID-19 Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) was created to prevent evictions caused by the financial and health impacts of COVID-19. The program provides emergency rent assistance to households with incomes at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI) in Multnomah County, with priority in serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities experiencing the greatest adverse impacts from COVID-19.

An eligible household may receive up to 9 months of rent assistance with ERAP-1 funds.

A preference is in place for households...

  • earning at or below 50% AMI, or
  • households with a member who has been unemployed for at least 90 days.

A household who meets one of the preferences is eligible to receive up to 12 months of rent assistance.

The program can cover the following expenses:

  • current or future rent payments (future payments limited to 3 months)
  • rent arrears
  • security deposits and fees

Funds are not eligible to pay for mortgage payments, utilities, or direct cash assistance.


Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the program, households must meet all three of the requirements below. There is no citizenship requirement for these funds.

  1. Resident of City of Portland or Multnomah County
     
  2. Experienced both of the following impacts due to COVID-19:
     
    • One or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits; or, experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak
       
    • One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness; or, housing instability
  1. Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)

80% Area Median Income

The AMI chart shows the maximum income limit to be eligible for 80% of area median income. The income limit increases based on household size.

Estimate your AMI

AMI Calculator

Area Median Income Chart

Effective until April 2022

Household Size80% Median50% Median*
1$54,150$33,850
2$61,900$38,700
3$69,650$43,550
4$77,350$48,350
5$83,550$52,250
6$89,750$56,100
7$95,950$60,000
8$102,150$63,850

*Households earning at or below 50% AMI, or households with a member who has been unemployed for at least 90 days, may be eligible to receive up to 12 months of rent assistance.


Required Documentation

Once a household is determined eligible for assistance, the following materials are required to be submitted as part of the application. There is no citizenship requirement to be assisted with these funds.

Download a copy of this information:

1. Verification of Income

All household members over the age of 18 must provide ONE of the following:

  • 2020 tax return forms (such as a 1099, 1040/1040A or Schedule C of 1040)
  • 2020 W-2 form
  • Most recent paycheck stubs
  • A letter of termination from your job
  • Employer-generated salary report or letter stating current annual income or Earnings statements
  • Current bank statements showing direct deposit of income and/or benefits
  • Proof of application for unemployment benefits
  • Proof that unemployment benefits have expired
  • Self Employed - tax records, statements, or other documentation of loss of employment
  • Benefits eligibility letter from a government program, including award letter (TANF, SSI, other benefits)

Self-attestation is acceptable in the following circumstances:

  • Household lives in census tract with average 2020 median income at or below eligibility threshold (more information on process for determining in Exhibit 2, Documenting Income)
  • Necessary as reasonable accommodation for a person with disabilities
  • Necessary due to extenuating circumstances related to pandemic or lack of technological access

2. Lease / Rental Agreement or Other Proof of Rent Due

Provide a current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant and landlord or sub-lessor that identifies the unit where the applicant resides and shows the rental payment amount.

If a signed lease is not available, proof of rent due may include one of the following:

  • ERAP-1 Agreement to Assign Rent Assistance Form
  • Another source of written confirmation by a landlord who can be verified as the actual owner or management agent of where you rent
  • Landlord Verification of Rent Due

If landlord refuses to sign, you may submit a Self-Verification of Rent Due form.


Program Materials for Partner Organizations