FAQs • St. Joseph County, IN • CivicEngage

What assistance is available?: Assistance is available to renters for rent, utilities, home energy, and internet expenses. Utilities include gas, electric, water, sewer, and trash. Home energy expenses include fuel oil propane, firewood, or coal.

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Emergency Rental Assistance Program

1. When can I apply?: Partner Agencies will begin accepting applications March 17th, 2021.

2. Where do I apply?: Interested households should go to SJCIndiana.com/ERA to locate partner agencies accepting applications for rental and utilities assistance.

3. What assistance is available?: Assistance is available to renters for rent, utilities, home energy, and internet expenses. Utilities include gas, electric, water, sewer, and trash. Home energy expenses include fuel oil propane, firewood, or coal.

4. How many months of assistance is available?: Twelve months of assistance is available to each qualifying household. This includes past due rent, utilities, home energy, internet expenses, and forward-facing rent.

5. If a renter household received LIHEAP can they receive utility assistance from ERA?: Yes. A renter household may have received LIHEAP during the 2020-2021 program year and still be eligible to receive assistance through the ERA program in 2021.

6. If someone already received other rental assistance through another program, could they receive assistance from ERA?: Yes. If a qualifying household received assistance from either RAF or ESG the household may be eligible to receive ERA assistance. The assistance provided ERA cannot duplicate the months of assistance provided by the prior program. If a household received rental assistance in November, December, January, and February they may receive ERA assistance beginning in March.

7. If a renter household receives federal rental assistance (Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) program, Project-Based Section 8, or Public Housing) can they receive assistance from ERA?: Yes. A household may receive ERA assistance for the tenant’s portion of rent, however, ERA may not duplicate the rental assistance/subsidy that the household receives. The household may also be eligible for utility/home energy and internet assistance.

The amount of rental assistance is based on the size of the apartment. Below are the maximum rental benefit amounts:

9. What if the tenant does not want to participate?: At this juncture, the application process will not proceed.

10. Will assistance payments be taxed for Tenants?: Tenants will not be taxed for ERA assistance payments.

Income Regulation for Emergency Rental Assistance Program
St. Joseph County, Indiana

Persons	80% (Moderate)

1	39,700
2	45,350
3	51,000
4	56,650
5	61,200
6	65,750
7	70,250
8	74,800