ERAP Eligibility and Documentation
SCROLL DOWN to view eligibility criteria and the list of documents you'll need to apply for assistance.
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program will assist Duval households unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An eligible household may receive assistance for rent or utilities, including up to 12 months of past due rent and utilities (plus an additional three months if necessary, to ensure housing stability for the household, subject to the availability of funds). Households must be re-certified every three months to continue receiving assistance.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants must be all of the following:
- A U.S. Citizen or Legal Resident Alien
- A resident of Duval County (including the Beaches and Town of Baldwin)
- Delinquent on the payment of rent, certain utilities and/or home energy costs due on or after March 13, 2020
- Part of an “Eligible household” as defined by the Act as follows:
An “Eligible household” must include one or more individuals who are obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling in Duval County and must also demonstrate all three criteria below:
1. 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 COVID-19 and can attest to such in writing;
2. One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which may include:
- a past due utility or rent notice or eviction notice;
- unsafe or unhealthy living conditions; or
- any other evidence of such risk, as determined by the City; and
3. The household has a household income that is not more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) for the household.
Priority must be provided to households that have incomes at or below 50% AMI or have one or more members who have been unemployed for at least 90 days. The income guidelines for Duval County are exhibited in the chart below:
Required Documents
This program requires documentation of eligibility.
Required documents from tenant:
- Completed application in Neighborly
- A valid, government-issued photo identification for applicant – the address on the government-issued photo ID must match the address on the application and the lease
- For all other members of the household we can accept one of the following:
-
- Government issued photo ID
- Social Security card
- Birth certificate (can be foreign born)
- Green Card or other form of immigration documentation
- If none of the above are available, then a copy of the most recently filled tax return, which should identify all members of the household, will be accepted.
- A copy of the household’s Form 1040 Tax Return for all adult household members as filed with the IRS for 2020; OR some form of verifiable documentation evidencing every adult member of their household’s previous two months of income (wage statements, paycheck stubs, unemployment statements, Social Security statements, etc.).
- Written attestation of no income (if income is not verifiable due to COVID-19 or source documentation is not available)
- Current signed lease
- Documentation of loss of employment due to COVID-19, including unemployment benefit statements and/or letter from employer
- Current utility bill (if applicable)
Required information and documents from landlord:
- Proof of rental arrears
- W-9 completed by landlord that matches the owner of the property according to the Duval County Property Appraiser site
