Emergency Rental Assistance

Maricopa County households experiencing financial hardship may be eligible for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) through the Human Services Department’s Community Services Division.

Qualified households can receive up to six (6) months of payments for the following:

Rental assistance
Utility assistance for electric, gas, water, sewer, and/or trash

Payments can be made for past due, owed, and/or future rental and utility bills based on funding availability and payment history.

Clients who have received six (6) or more months of assistance in the past will have the opportunity to engage in support services provided by Maricopa County's Human Services Department Community Services Division, but will not be eligible for additional ongoing ERA payments.

Prioritization

The funds are intended for those most in need. According to federal guidelines, applications for assistance will be prioritized using the following criteria:

Households living at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI)
Households with one or more members that have been unemployed for the past 90 days at time of application and living at or below 80% AMI

Additionally, applications will be prioritized based on the following system:

0 = No identified impact based on applicant's response
1 = Low level of impact based on applicant's response
2 = High priority as client has indicated they have been impacted and meet the eligibility guidelines
3 = Repeat applicants that have previously received ERA assistance and may be eligible for further assistance — if the six (6) month cap has not been met.

Availability

Maricopa County Human Services Department will serve eligible county residents living outside the cities of Glendale, Mesa, and Phoenix.

For more information on how to apply for ERA in Glendale, Mesa, or Phoenix, click on the links below:

Glendale: City of Glendale Community Action Program
Mesa: City of Mesa
Phoenix: City of Phoenix Human Services Department

Maricopa County will serve all other cities, towns, county islands, and unincorporated areas. Assistance is provided through Community Action Program (CAP) offices located throughout the County. To apply for ERA, follow the step-by-step instructions below.

How to Apply

Step 1. Check Eligibility

To qualify for assistance, the following criteria must be met:

Household lives in Maricopa County, but not in the cities of Glendale, Mesa, and Phoenix; and
Since March 13 2020, a household member has qualified for Unemployment Insurance from the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) OR the household is experiencing financial hardship; and
Household demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
Household is living at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

Area Median Income

Household Size	50% Area Median Income	80% Area Median Income
1	$30,950	$49,500
2	$35,350	$56,550
3	$39,750	$63,600
4	$44,150	$70,650
5	$47,700	$76,350
6	$51,250	$82,000
7	$54,750	$87,650
8	$58,300	$93,300

Step 2. Gather Required Documentation

To help establish eligibility, please collect the following documentation. You will need to submit these documents in order to receive assistance.

Required Tenant Information

One of the following:

Documentation demonstrating financial hardship
Documentation demonstrating a household member was determined eligible for Unemployment Insurance from the Arizona Department of Economic Security (Eligibility period: March 30, 2020 – Present)

Always required:

Photo identification of applicant
Lease agreement
Documentation of total household income received in the 60 days prior to and including application date
Documentation demonstrating risk of homelessness or housing instability by collecting one of the following:

Past due rent notice
Past due utility bill
Eviction notice
Utility shut off notice
Writ of restitution
Judgment related to eviction
Show less than 7 days of pre-paid utility remaining on pre-paid account

Required for utility assistance:

Most recent utility bill for each utility seeking assistance for
Release of Information Form

Required Landlord Forms

In order to receive Emergency Rental Assistance, your landlord must complete a Landlord Verification Form. Additionally, your landlord must either:

Complete the W-9 Form

You will submit these forms as part of your application. To download a copy of each form, click on the links below.

Please note that additional documentation may be requested by the Human Services Department or your local CAP office as you may qualify for other services.

Step 3. Apply for Assistance

To apply for ERA, you have the option to complete either an online application or submit a paper application to your local CAP office.

Option 1: To complete on online application, click on the button below. This will direct you to the Human Services Department’s Client Portal.

Once you reach the Client Portal’s homepage, click on the “Start the Application Process” button.
You will be directed to the Application Prescreen, which is the first step of the application process. The Application Prescreen will help residents determine if they meet basic eligibility requirements for all available rent and utility assistance.
Residents that meet basic eligibility criteria will then be invited to create a Client Portal account and complete an online application, which includes submitting all required documentation.

Option 2: If you would like to submit an application through your local CAP office, please download the Client Paper Application by clicking on the button below. Please submit the paper application and required documentation to your local CAP office.

Please note that for the Client Paper Application:

If you have more than two household members, you will need to complete a Household Member Form for each additional household member; and
If you are seeking assistance with more than one utility, you will need to complete a Utility Assistance Form for each additional utility.

Landlord Application on Behalf of Tenant

ERA allows a landlord to apply for rent and/or utility assistance on behalf of the tenant. The landlord must provide all required eligibility documentation for the tenant household.

On behalf of the tenant, the landlord must complete and/or provide the following documentation:

Client paper application (see above)
Landlord application (download by clicking on the "Landlord Application" button)
Landlord Verification Form (see above)
W-9 Form or county vendor registration (see above)
All other required documentation including tenant income documents (see above)

New Incentive Program for Property Owners & Managers

Maricopa County has a new program that provides incentives to property owners and property manager called Threshold. The goal of the program is to expand rental options for people exiting homelessness by partnering with property owners and managers. Joining Threshold means joining a centralized network of like-minded property owners and managers who have committed to providing safe and affordable rental options to help people transition from homelessness to housing. Through the Threshold program, participating property owners and managers will receive technical support, financial incentives, rent, and other guarantees that eliminate financial risks for renting to individuals and families that are reestablishing their income sources and rental history as they exit homelessness. Learn more about Maricopa County’s Human Services Department and HOM, Inc. through the Maricopa County’s news release and at ThresholdAZ.com.