Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, is encouraging individuals and families in Carbon County who pay rent and are at risk of eviction or loss of utility service to apply for help through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which launched in March.

“Any Carbon County resident or family who has been struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic is urged to take advantage of this new program,” said Heffley. “This funding has been designated to assist those who have been hardest hit by the economic impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent shutdowns.”

A total of $847 million has been distributed among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to help thousands of families impacted by the pandemic to maintain their housing and utility services, including $4.2 million allocated for Carbon County. Owners of rental properties can also apply for assistance on behalf of tenants.

Applications from eligible households in Carbon County are currently being accepted by Catholic Charities at www.catholiccharitiesad.org.

ERAP was authorized by the General Assembly under Act 1 of 2021 to distribute about $569 million to Pennsylvania households through partnerships with local leaders. An additional $278 million in rental assistance was directly allocated to the state’s largest counties by the federal government.

Households may be eligible for up to 12 months of assistance to cover past-due or future rental and/or utility payments. To qualify, a household must be responsible to pay rent on a residential property; have at least one person who qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs or experienced other financial hardship due to the pandemic; have at least one person at risk of homelessness or household instability; and have a household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income.

Applicants will need to provide the following information: head of household’s personal information; income information for all household members 18 and older; rental lease and amount owed; and the landlord’s name and contact information. If applying for utility assistance, applicants must provide utility expenses and utility provider information.

The program will end when all funds have been expended. Per Act 1 of 2021, all funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2021.

More information about ERAP can be found at www.dhs.pa.gov.