Emergency Rental Assistance Program: 

Tools to Assist the People You Serve

• Thursday, September 30, 2021
Welcome

Webinar hosted by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) 

In partnership with: 

• The White House

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

• U.S. Department of Treasury

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Facilitator

Lori Gerhard, Director of the Office of Interagency Innovation, 

Administration for Community Living
Opening Poll

In recent weeks, has your organization been (select one):

• Actively helping people connect to emergency rental assistance 

resources

• Informing the people you serve about emergency rental assistance

• Learning about ways to help people connect to emergency rental 

assistance 

• Inactive and needing to learn more about ways you can support

On YouTube? Access the poll at https://bit.ly/3uhXf0R

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Webinar Instructions for Zoom

Audio Options

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number in your registration email.

• All participants are muted.

Questions and Answers (Q&A)

• You can submit questions for the panelists at any time during 

this presentation. On the Zoom module on the bottom of your 

screen, click the Q&A icon, type your question in the box and 

submit.

Chat Feature

• The Chat feature allows webinar attendees to make 

comments during the webinar question and answer period.

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Accessibility for YouTube

In the video description area, find links for:

• Webinar polling

• Closed captioning – use in a separate browser 

window

• Email to submit questions for the presenters or 

request technical support

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Opening Remarks

Alison Barkoff, Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for 

Aging, Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of 

Health & Human Services

Erika Poethig, Special Assistant to the President for Housing and 

Urban Policy, The White House

Peggy Bailey, Senior Advisor on Rental Assistance in the Office 

of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 

Development

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ERAP Overview, Tools and Resources

Vanessa Megaw, Senior Policy Analyst, Community 

Economic Development at U.S. Department of the 

Treasury

Per Olstad, Senior Advisor at the Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau

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AN OVERVIEW OF

Emergency Rental Assistance

Overview and Resources
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Disclaimer

This presentation is designed to give an overview of the Emergency Rental Assistance 

program for educational purposes. It should not be construed as legal advice or a 

statement of binding policy guidance from the Treasury. 

For official Treasury guidance, go to: www.treasury.gov/ERA. 
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Overview

The Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program makes funding available assist households 

that are unable to pay rent or utilities. 

Funding from two statutes:

• ERA1: $25 billion - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 

• ERA2: $21.55 billion - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

The funds are provided directly to states, U.S. territories, local governments, and (in the case 

of ERA1) Indian tribes or Tribally Designated Housing Entities, as applicable, and the 

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Key objectives of this funding:

• Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and 

bring the pandemic under control

• Assist renters most in need to avoid evictions and secure housing stability

• Alleviate the deep financial distress of countless landlords who rely on rental income to 

support their families
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Supporting Housing Stability for Renters

Prior to this year, few governments had robust programs for delivering this type of rental 

assistance and none were operating at the scale now made possible by ERA resources.

Recent Treasury Guidance Highlights

• Policy clarity and recommendations meant to accelerate assistance, including clarifying that 

self-attestation can be used in documenting each aspect of a household’s eligibility for ERA.

• Drive toward access by removing language and cultural barriers in securing assistance.

• Provide a streamlined payment option for utility providers and large landlords to make 

accessing emergency rental assistance on behalf of multiple tenants easier and more 

attractive.

• Strongly encourages partnerships with courts to actively prevent evictions and develop 

eviction diversion programs.

• Allow flexibilities to help families experiencing homelessness gain access to assistance.
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Eligible Households

Applicant eligibility may vary depending upon the grantee’s program design. 

In general terms, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• The applicant must be obligated to pay rent

• The applicant must demonstrate: 

• Financial hardship during the pandemic;

• Risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and

• The household is a “low-income family” (incomes do not exceed 80% of the area median 

income) 

Prioritization

• 50% of area median income or 

• 1+ individuals unemployed for the 90-day period preceding the date of application.
13 Helping Households: Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses may vary depending upon the grantee’s program design. 

In general terms, the federal program guidance allows: 

Rental assistance 

• Up 15 (ERA1) or 18 (ERA2) months of rental assistance

• Assistance may cover back rent or prospective rent

Utilities and Home Energy Costs

• May include separately stated electricity, gas, water and sewer, trash removal, and energy costs, such 

as fuel oil; payments to public utilities are permitted. 

Other Expenses (under certain constraints)

• Internet service

• Reasonable accrued late fees

• Relocation expenses 

• including certain flexibilities for those experiencing homelessness
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Helping Households: Eligible Expenses

A limited amount of ERA funds may be used for housing stability services.

Such services may include (among other things):

Eviction Prevention

• Eviction diversion programs 

• Landlord/tenant mediation 

• Legal services or attorney’s fees related to 

eviction proceedings and maintaining 

housing stability

Housing Support/Support

• Housing counseling

• Fair housing counseling

• Housing navigators or promotoras

(ERA assistance or finding housing)

• Housing stability case management

• Housing-related services for survivors of 

domestic abuse or human trafficking 

• Specialized services for individuals with 

disabilities or seniors that support their 

ability to access or maintain housing 
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Online Resources for ERA Stakeholders

www.treasury.gov/ERA
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Program & Service Design (example screen)
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Thank you.

For More Information: 

Please visit Treasury’s Emergency 

Rental Assistance website at 

www.treasury.gov/ERA
CFPB COVID-19 Housing Insecurity 

Campaign
Disclaimer

This presentation is being made by a Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau (CFPB) representative on behalf of the Bureau. 

It does not constitute legal interpretation, guidance, or advice of 

the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Any opinions or views 

stated by the presenter are the presenter’s own and may not 

represent the Bureau’s views.

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Housing insecurity remains a critical challenge

▪ Roughly seven million tenant households are behind on 

their rent.

▪ Black and Hispanic families are more than twice as likely to 

report being behind on their housing payments than white 

families.

▪ We have very little time to prevent millions from losing their 

homes to avoidable eviction or avoidable foreclosure
Consumers lack awareness of their options

▪ Protections exist for renters who are struggling during the 

COVID-19 pandemic.

▪ Many are still unaware of their rights and how to find help.

▪ The CFPB and our interagency partners have plain-language 

resources.

We need your help to boost awareness.
The CFPB’s housing portal helps consumers act
Housing Portal: Resources for Renters

Step-by-step 

instructions to help 

renters:

▪ Avoid eviction

▪ Get rental 

assistance

▪ Talk about 

repayment

▪ Know their rights

▪ Find help

consumerfinance.gov/covidrent
Housing Portal: Resources for Landlords

consumerfinance.gov/coron

avirus/mortgage-andhousing-assistance/helpfor-landlords/ 
Housing Portal: Emergency Rental Assistance 

consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/

mortgage-and-housingassistance/renterprotections/emergency-rentalassistance-for-renters/ 
Housing Portal: Rental Assistance Finder

consumerfinance.gov/renthelp

consumerfinance.gov/ayudarenta
Housing Portal: Rental Assistance Finder

consumerfinance.gov/renthelp

consumerfinance.gov/ayudarenta
Housing Portal: Rental Assistance Finder

consumerfinance.gov/renthelp

consumerfinance.gov/ayudarenta
Resources are available in seven languages

▪ Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, and Arabic language 

materials are available online.

▪ Includes:

◻ Housing portal pages

◻ Other COVID-19 resources

▪ Spanish language videos are also available online:

◻ Aplazamientos de hipotecas en la Ley CARES 

◻ 5 Pasos para que solicite un aplazamiento de hipoteca por causa del coronavirus

◻ Tres pasos que inquilinos en problemas pueden tomar para retrasar el desalojo
Homeowner and Renter PSA Expansion Campaign

▪ Expanding digital campaign to help more homeowners and renters

▪ Renter-focused campaign expanding from regional targeting to national

◻ Also adding Google search campaign for landlords

▪ Fall 2021 wave of PSAs will include non-digital vehicles, like bus stations, 

billboards, television, and radio 

Homeowners Renters
Use our digital toolkit

Provides shareable content, graphics, 

and resources

▪ Sample emails and social media 

posts

▪ Videos and social media images

▪ Emergency Rental Assistance 

specific resources, including:

◻ Handouts, emails, videos, 

social media posts and images

consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housingassistance/housing-insecurity-media-toolkit/
Stay connected so we can share new resources

• Stay connected with updates

• Sign up for e-mails so you can share the latest updates from CFPB

• Give us feedback!

• Let us know what works and what does not

• Email us at: IGA@cfpb.gov

• Let us know about other opportunities to get the word out

• If you know of other organizations who may be interested in joining the 

effort, let us know
Panel Discussion with Local Partners

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W. Mark Clark, President and CEO, Pima Council on Aging

Travis Rash, MPA, Real Estate Consultant and Housing Policy Specialist, 

The Whole Person

Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, Council of Large Public Housing 

Authorities

Facilitator

Lori Gerhard, Director of the Office of Interagency Innovation, Administration 

for Community Living
Pima Council on Aging

W. Mark Clark, President and CEO

• PCOA’s mission is to promote dignity and respect for aging, and to advocate 

for independence in the lives of Pima County’s older adults and their families

• Located: Pima County, Arizona

• Service Population: 60+, caregivers 18+, people with physical disabilities 

18+, grandparents raising grandchildren

• Service Geography: 9,189 square miles, Tohono O’odham Nation divides the 

County and is not in PCOA’s service area

• Home & community-based services: home delivered & congregate meals, 

evidence-based health promotion, family caregiver support, rights & benefits 

advocacy, & long-term care ombudsman

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The Whole Person

Travis Rash, Real Estate Consultant and Housing Policy Specialist

Mission: The Whole Person connects people with disabilities to the resources they need by 

supporting independent choice and advocating for positive change in the community. We are a 

passionate voice of empowerment and advocacy for all persons with disabilities in the Kansas 

City Metropolitan Area, as well as their friends and family. 

Geographic reach:

• Kansas Counties: Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson

• Missouri Counties: Jackson, Clay, Platte, Cass (Home Health Services in Buchanan) 

Top services provided:

• Independent Living Skills Training

• Individual and Systems Advocacy 

• Information and Referral Services

• Peer Support

• Transition Services and Support

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Council of Large Public Health Authorities

Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director

• CLPHA’s mission is to support the nation’s largest and most innovative housing 

authorities by advocating for the resources and policies they need to solve local 

housing challenges and create communities of opportunity.

• National association with members that: 

– Collectively own and manage nearly 40% of the nation’s public housing stock

– Administers more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program

– Provides a wide array of other rental assistance. 

• Some CLPHA members also make vital services available to the more than one 

million low-income households they serve in federally-assisted housing

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Questions and Answers

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Poll Question 

After this webinar, do you intend in the next 2 days to: (choose all 

that apply)

• Contact your local emergency rental assistance program to ask how your 

organization can help accelerate use of available resources

• Use social media to raise awareness of the emergency rental assistance

• Update information and referral services to help people connect

• Learn more about housing instability and risk for evictions in your community

• Find ways to assist people with filling out applications for emergency rental 

assistance 

On YouTube? Access the poll at https://bit.ly/3uhXf0R

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SAVE THE DATE!

November 10th Webinar

Leveraging Community Partnerships to Respond to the Needs 

of People Facing or Experiencing Eviction

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Wrap Up

• Together, the organizations on this webinar can do more to help 

people learn about and apply for Emergency Rental Assistance. 

• Time is of the essence, take the next step this week! 

• Sign up for ACL email updates

Questions? Ideas? 

Email us at hsrc@acl.hhs.gov

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