ERAP Improvement Act of 2021

To expand public access to tenant financial assistance programs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program Improvement Act of 2021 ERAP Improvement Act of 2021 2. Collaboration with public entities (a) In general Section 501 of subtitle A of title V of Division M of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( 15 U.S.C. 9058a (1) in subsection (c)(5)(A)— (A) by striking 10 percent 15 percent (B) by striking related to such funds. related to such funds and for collaboration with public entities as described in subsection (n). (2) by adding at the end the following: (n) Collaboration with public entities (1) In general The Secretary of the Treasury shall, not later than 30 days after the enactment of this subsection, issue guidance designed to instruct eligible grantees with respect to how best to collaborate with public entities to provide application assistance services. (2) Use of amounts paid to eligible grantee Notwithstanding subsection (c)(5), an eligible grantee that collaborates with public entities pursuant to the guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to paragraph (1) may use amounts available for administrative costs under section (c)(5) to, in coordination with one or more public entities, develop any administrative infrastructure necessary to provide application assistance services, including— (A) training the employees of a public entity or other designated institutional representative of a public entity about how to complete the emergency rental application process; (B) maintaining physical and electronic copies of all documents needed to apply for assistance; (C) establishing methods of communication between eligible grantees, public entities, community organizations, and individual households; (D) providing language translation services; (E) developing community outreach materials, programs, and initiatives; and (F) collecting and storing relevant documentation on-site at the public entity, or with a third party in a manner that complies with Federal, State, and local law. (3) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Application assistance services The term application assistance services (i) distributing applications for assistance to individuals that may qualify for assistance; and (ii) assisting individuals applying or assistance. (B) Public entity The term public entity includes— (i) public elementary schools and public secondary schools (as such terms are defined under section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); (ii) public libraries; (iii) HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and other entities receiving funds under section 3204 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; (iv) courts that handle eviction related matters; (v) public housing agencies; (vi) public transit systems; (vii) State departments of motor vehicles; (viii) the United States Postal Service; and (ix) Federal, State, and local social service providers. . (b) Collaboration with public entities Section 3201 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is amended by adding at the end the following: (i) Collaboration with public entities (1) In general The Secretary of the Treasury shall, not later than 30 days after the enactment of this subsection, issue guidance designed to instruct eligible grantees with respect to how best to collaborate with public entities to provide application assistance services. (2) Use of amounts paid to eligible grantee An eligible grantee that collaborates with public entities pursuant to the guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to paragraph (1) may use not more than 15 percent of the amount paid to such eligible grantee under this section to, in coordination with one or more public entities, develop any administrative infrastructure necessary to provide application assistance services, including— (A) training the employees of a public entity or other designated institutional representative of a public entity about how to complete the emergency rental application process; (B) maintaining physical and electronic copies of all documents needed to apply for assistance; (C) establishing methods of communication between eligible grantees, public entities, community organizations, and individual households; (D) providing language translation services; (E) developing community outreach materials, programs, and initiatives; and (F) collecting and storing relevant documentation on-site at the public entity, or with a third party in a manner that complies with Federal, State, and local law. (3) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Application assistance services The term application assistance services (i) distributing applications for assistance to individuals that may qualify for assistance; and (ii) assisting individuals applying or assistance. (B) Public entity The term public entity includes— (i) public elementary schools and public secondary schools (as such terms are defined under section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); (ii) public libraries; (iii) public housing agencies; (iv) public transit systems; (v) State departments of motor vehicles; (vi) the United States Postal Service; and (vii) Federal, State, and local social service providers. .

Summary: Emergency Rental Assistance Program Improvement Act of 2021 or the ERAP Improvement Act of 2021 This bill modifies the Department of Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance program to increase the portion of funding that state and local government grant recipients may use for administrative costs. The bill also encourages grant recipients to utilize these administrative funds to provide application assistance in coordination with public entities such as libraries, elementary schools, courts, and public housing. The program continues to provide grants to state and local governments to assist eligible households in paying rent, utility costs, and other housing costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.