03/08/2023

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today, the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that the last day to submit new applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is Friday, March 10 at 11:59 p.m. The application portal is closing because program funds are nearly exhausted for the current fiscal year.

This year's ERAP budget is the highest it has been in recent years at $43 million which is a 485% increase over the 2018 budget of $7.35 million. DHS has seen an increase in rental assistance requests, specifically after federal funding for STAY DC was exhausted. The STAY DC program was created with federal funding to address the significant need for rental assistance due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Between October 2022 and February 2023, DHS approved ERAP applications for 3,734 District households and disbursed nearly $18 million in housing assistance. This is more than twice the 1,677 approved applications and nearly three times the $6.1 million in disbursed assistance during the same period last fiscal year.

The District has distributed over $366.4 million in Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) from the US Department of the Treasury, including $335.3 million in direct rental and utility assistance for almost 60,000 approved applications representing over 37,000 unique District households through STAY DC, Rapid Re-housing, and other rental assistance programs. 

Since 2018, DHS has disbursed over $122 million in rental assistance to households in need of emergency assistance with rent or first month's rent and security deposit to prevent homelessness.

DHS will continue to process all ERAP applications that are received before the application portal's closure. DHS partner organizations will maintain a presence at Landlord Tenant Court to connect residents to services that may prevent eviction.

Families experiencing housing instability or homelessness can receive housing resources and assistance by visiting the Virginia Williams Center that is located at 920 Rhode Island NE, or by calling (202) 726-0017. Individuals, with no minor children in their care, can access support from Project Reconnect and reach out to DHS staff at Project.Reconnect@dc.gov. Residents who have submitted an ERAP application can check the status of their application at https://erap.dhs.dc.gov/or email questions to erap.program@dc.gov.

For additional information on ERAP, please email erap.program@dc.gov.