Online COVID 19 Rental Counseling (New Jersey Only)

The Mercer County Department of Human Services, in conjunction with the Mercer County Board of Social Services, has launched the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to help renter households in Mercer County that have been impacted by COVID-19. The program offers financial assistance to rental household for unpaid rent or utility bills due to the impact of COVID-19. 

Mercer County residents must document that they would have qualified for unemployment benefits, experienced a reduction in income, and suffered major costs directly or indirectly due to COVID-19 that impacted the household.

TO APPLY AND FIND MORE INFORMATION:

Visit: http://bit.ly/ERAPAPPLY

Call: (609) 389-3575 M-F 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Email: erap@mcboss.org

LANDLORDS CAN ENCOURAGE TENANTS TO APPLY at http://www.mercercounty.org/ERAP

Financial Assistance for New Jersey Families

• $3,928,997,000 in Direct Payments for New Jersey Families. Over 92% of single tax filers and eight-in-ten joint-filers in New Jersey will receive payments up to $600 for individuals earning less than $75,000 and $1,200 for couples earning less than $150,000, plus $600 per child under the age of 17.
  • The bill ensures that U.S. citizens living in a mixed status household will receive direct payments and will receive retroactive payments from the CARES Act when they file their 2020 tax return. Under the provision, at least one of the two parents or heads of household must have a social security number for all eligible family members to receive a direct payment.
• Extended Unemployment Insurance (UI). The bill provides an extra $300 a week in addition to one’s base unemployment compensation benefit through March 14, 2021. It also extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program through March 14, 2021, which will ensure self-employed individuals and gig workers have access to UI benefits, and adds 11 more weeks of eligibility for the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
• $591,000,000 in rental assistance prioritized for those most in need. Funds can be used to pay for rent, utilities and home energy costs, and housing stability services.
• Extends the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021.
• 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through June 30, 2021.

Somerset County has established an Emergency Rental Relief Program for County households that had a loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Applicants may be eligible for up to 3 months’ rent or $3,000.00, whichever is less, for payment toward rent that is owed.  The Program will only pay rent that is owed and will NOT pay late fees.  Payments will be issued directly to the landlord.  Note that this program is funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and as a result, residents of Franklin Township, which has its own CDBG program, are not eligible.

There are 3 different ways to apply and submit your application:

1. Apply directly online:

• Gather all documentation from CDBG-CV Emergency Rental Relief Required Documentation Checklist (PDF) prior to applying.
• Upload your documents to your computer or device before starting your application.
• Once you reach the "File Uploads" section of the application, be sure to attach all your documents as indicated. 
• At the end of the application process, you will have the option of having a copy of your submitted application emailed directly to you.
• Click on the link CDBG-CV Emergency Rental Relief Online Application to begin your application.

           2.   Print application and submit printed copy via email:

• Print and complete PDF application form:  CDBG-CV Emergency Rental Application  (PDF)
• Submit the completed package (application and required documents) via email to commdevelop@co.somerset.nj.us with the subject line “CDBG-CV Rent Relief Assistance, (your last name and first initial)"

3.   Request application by mail and submit a paper copy:

• Print a paper copy or request one to be mailed by calling 908-541-5756. 
• When you receive it,  gather your documents and complete the application form.
• Because the building is closed to the public, you must call the Office at 908-541-5756 before you drop off a completed application, Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm.

       OR

• Mail your completed application with documents in an envelope addressed to: Community Development, P.O. Box 3000, 27 Warren St. 4th Floor, Somerville, NJ 08876.

 Franklin residents having difficulties paying rent will soon be able to apply for rental assistance through federal CARES Act funding received by the township. 

The program will use $85,000 of the $160,933 the township received earlier this year from the Community Development Block Grant program, or CDBG, allocated by the CARES Act. Applications will be available on the township’s website by Dec. 14. 

“That process will begin hopefully earlier than the 14th, so look to the website and there will be information and we’ll have instructions on how applications can be submitted,” Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said. 

On Friday, May 29, 2020 Governor Phil Murphy and Lt Governor Sheila Y. Oliver announced the COVID-19 Short-Term Rental Assistance Program. The program will provide rental assistance to low- and moderate-income households that have had a substantial reduction in income as a result of the pandemic, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The COVID-19 Short Term Rental Assistance Program will provide temporary rental assistance to low- and moderate- income households that have had a substantial reduction in income or have become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will offer an initial three months of temporary rental assistance, with the ability for the household to renew for an additional three months if needed. Approximately 20 percent of the rental assistance funds will be reserved for homeless families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The program will open for applications in July and begin paying rental assistance in September. Qualifying households will be expected to pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, and the program would pay the remainder of their rent up to DCA’s fair market rent payment standard. At the three-month mark, the household budget will be reviewed to determine if assistance is still needed. Assistance that is no longer required will be used to serve additional families.

DCA will select applicants for short-term rental assistance through a randomized lottery process. 

Further information on how to apply and Frequently Asked Questions, will be available on June 15th, and applications will be taken in July.

To submit an application, you must:

• Be a resident of New Jersey
• Have a current income that is at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income for your county 
• Have been current in your rent payments as of March 1, 2020
• Show that your income was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on March 9th when the public emergency was declared. You can show this by documenting:

1. A layoff
2. Reduced work hours
3. Unpaid leave to take care of children due to school and daycare closures
4. Need to self-quarantine for 14 days resulted in a loss of income

CVERAP Pre-applications will only be accepted ONLINE.  The open enrollment period is

Monday, July 6, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, July 17, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 

*************EXTENDED to July 17th*************

CVERAP pre-applications can be submitted ONLINE starting on July 6th at 9:00 a.m. with the use of a personal computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559-2809. This link will not be accessible before July 6th at 9:00 a.m.

Paper CVERAP pre-applications will not be distributed or accepted.  Submission of a CVERAP pre-application does not guarantee placement in the Program. Only one CVERAP pre-application per household per county will be accepted. Duplicate CVERAP pre-applications will be rejected. 

Names, birthdates, income and assets information for all individuals living in the household. An email address is also required. If you do not have an e-mail address, the application process will allow you to create one.  If you are not proficient in English, the CVERAP pre-application is available in 90 languages; this information can be found starting on July 6th at 9:00 a.m.at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559-2809, at the top right of the pre-application. This link will not be accessible before July 6th at 9:00 a.m.