Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP) Eligibility

Missouri emergency rental arrears program (ERAP) ELIGIBILITY

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

ERAP closed on April 5, 2021 to new applicants. Existing applicants can view their applications here: https://mhdcapply.smapply.io/prog

The Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP) provides financial support for landlords and renters who are struggling due to the COVID-19 emergency in the State of Missouri. The program will reimburse landlords for past due rent payments (rental arrears) for the period beginning April 1, 2020. Applications must be completed and submitted by landlords in collaboration with their tenant. A one-time payment of up to six (6) months of rental arrears will be made to the landlord on the tenant’s behalf. Requests are subject to the established rent maximums outlined below.

Applications will be evaluated for eligibility and completeness. Landlords will complete an online application and will be notified of application status by email.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

Landlords will be able to complete an online application. Applications opened January 4, 2021.
Prior to applying landlords should review ERAP eligibility requirements and pre-application materials.

MAXIMUM RENTS

Landlords are eligible to receive a one-time payment of up to 6 months of rental arrears per eligible unit based on the rent maximums below. If rent amounts are lower than the amounts listed below, landlords are eligible for a one-time payment of up to 6 months of the rent as stated on an executed lease or a lesser amount owed by the tenant.

Maximum Monthly Rent:

Studio: $712

1 Bed: $854

2 Bed: $1,027

3 Bed: $1,380

4 Bed: $1,565

There are no minimum award amounts for this program. The award amount will be based on the rent deficit for the eligible unit for the period beginning April 1, 2020. A single one-time payment of up to six months of rental arrears will be made to the landlord on the tenant’s behalf. Late fees are not eligible for ERAP funding.

LANDLORD ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), landlords must:

Be a landlord of a residential property in Missouri
Have a social security or employee identification number that appears on a W-9
Be current on all state and local tax obligations
Not be a governmental entity
Have not received assistance from any other sources for the months requesting rental arrears unless a need still exists after exhausting all resources
If a tenant is receiving any other rent subsidy, one the tenant-portion of the rent is eligible for assistance
Not have a pending eviction action against the tenant for which the landlord is requesting rental arrears
Agree to not evict tenant or report to credit agencies for non-payment of rent for 120 days following the application submission date
Agree to waive any and all outstanding rent, late fees, and other penalties incurred by the tenant for non-payment, or late payment of rent, that were incurred on or before the date the application was submitted
Have a fully executed lease between the landlord and the current tenant for the unit seeking assistance; The lease must match the landlord name, tenant name, and unit/property address entered in the online application
Provide an itemized statement of past due rent and fees; landlords must use the template provided in the application and amount of total rent and fees owed by tenant must match amounts entered in application
Property/unit meets HUD Habitability Standards
Property/unit meets lead-based paint requirements
Have checking account that can receive Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) payment

TENANT ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), tenant households must:

Not be the landlord or application point of contact
Have an estimated household income that includes all household members over 18 (based on the average income for last 30 days) below 50 percent of the Area Median Income in the county the tenant unit resides in
Certify to the presence of a COVID-19 related financial impact on ability to pay rent
Have received less than 24 months of Emergency Solutions Grant services in any three (3) year period
Have not received assistance from any other sources for the same costs for the months requesting rental arrears unless a need exists after exhausting all resources
If a tenant household is receiving any other rent subsidy, only the tenant-portion of the rent is eligible for assistance
Provide requested demographic information on all household members
Provide photo ID(s) for all household members over 18 years of age

WHAT CAN ERAP COVER?

ERAP assistance can be applied towards outstanding rent owed since April 2020. A one-time payment can be made for up to six months of rent that does not exceed the rent maximums by bedroom size listed below. Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears cannot be applied towards any fees or utilities.

Maximum Monthly Rent:

Studio: $712

1 Bed: $854

2 Bed: $1,027

3 Bed: $1,380

4 Bed: $1,565

Example: A tenant unit rents for $900 per month. The rent maximum for a one-bedroom unit is $854. The landlord may apply for up to six months of rental arrears for $854 per month or the tenant balance, whichever is less.

Example: A tenant unit rents for $850 per month. The rent maximum for a one-bedroom unit is $854. The landlord may apply for up to six months of rental arrears for $850 per month as stated on lease or the tenant balance, whichever is less.

INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), households must have an estimated household income below 50 percent of Area Median Income. Area Median Income is based on the County where the property/unit is located and the number of people in the household.

Income limits can be determined by downloading the income limit calculator and selecting the county of residence and household size or by selecting "Click Here for FY2020 IL Documentation" at this website.

DETERMINING TENANT HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Estimated household income should be based on the average income for the last 30 days and include income for all household members over 18 years of age.

Income includes but is not limited to:

Gross income before taxes and deductions (including commissions, tips, bonuses, fees)
Payments from Social Security, annuities, retirement funds, pensions, disability and other similar types of periodic payments
Payment in lieu of earnings such as unemployment, disability compensation, social security income, social security disability insurance, and worker’s compensation
Income from government agencies
Alimony, child support and foster care payments
All basis pay, special day and allowances of a member of the Armed Forces excluding special pay for exposure to hostile fire
Sales from self-employed resources
Net income earned from operation of a business
Monthly interest and dividend income

Income DOES NOT include the following:

Income from government agencies for amounts designated for shelter, utilities, WIC, food stamps, and childcare
March and December 2020 stimulus payments and/or enhanced unemployment benefits are not considered income

For additional information and guidance on determining income, please review HUD’s Determining Income Documentation. If a household member has zero income, they can report this on the income certification form uploaded as part of the application.

Income should be calculated based on gross income (income received before taxes or deductions), unless income is earned from operation of a business. Tenant income based on the average of the last thirty days should be annualized using the following calculations:

Hourly wages should be calculated by the number of hours worked per year (2,080 hours for full-time employment with a 40-hour week and no overtime)
Weekly wages should be multiplied by 52
Bi-weekly wages (paid every other week) should be multiplied by 26
Semi-monthly wages (paid twice each month) should be multiplied by 24
Monthly should be multiplied wages by 12.

To annualize other than full-time income, multiply the wages by the actual number of hours or weeks the person is expected to work.

Contact

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Missouri emergency rental arrears program (ERAP) ELIGIBILITY

​

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

​

ERAP closed on April 5, 2021 to new applicants. Existing applicants can view their applications here: https://mhdcapply.smapply.io/prog

​

​

Applications will be evaluated for eligibility and completeness. Landlords will complete an online application and will be notified of application status by email.

​

PROGRAM TIMELINE

Landlords will be able to complete an online application. Applications opened January 4, 2021.

Prior to applying landlords should review ERAP eligibility requirements and pre-application materials.

​

​

MAXIMUM RENTS

​

Maximum Monthly Rent:

​

Studio: $712

1 Bed: $854

2 Bed: $1,027

3 Bed: $1,380

4 Bed: $1,565

​

​

LANDLORD ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), landlords must:

Be a landlord of a residential property in Missouri

Have a social security or employee identification number that appears on a W-9

Be current on all state and local tax obligations

Not be a governmental entity

Have not received assistance from any other sources for the months requesting rental arrears unless a need still exists after exhausting all resources

If a tenant is receiving any other rent subsidy, one the tenant-portion of the rent is eligible for assistance

Not have a pending eviction action against the tenant for which the landlord is requesting rental arrears

Agree to not evict tenant or report to credit agencies for non-payment of rent for 120 days following the application submission date

Agree to waive any and all outstanding rent, late fees, and other penalties incurred by the tenant for non-payment, or late payment of rent, that were incurred on or before the date the application was submitted

Have a fully executed lease between the landlord and the current tenant for the unit seeking assistance; The lease must match the landlord name, tenant name, and unit/property address entered in the online application

Provide an itemized statement of past due rent and fees; landlords must use the template provided in the application and amount of total rent and fees owed by tenant must match amounts entered in application

Property/unit meets HUD Habitability Standards

Property/unit meets lead-based paint requirements

Have checking account that can receive Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) payment

​

TENANT ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), tenant households must:

Not be the landlord or application point of contact

Have an estimated household income that includes all household members over 18 (based on the average income for last 30 days) below 50 percent of the Area Median Income in the county the tenant unit resides in

Certify to the presence of a COVID-19 related financial impact on ability to pay rent

Have received less than 24 months of Emergency Solutions Grant services in any three (3) year period

Have not received assistance from any other sources for the same costs for the months requesting rental arrears unless a need exists after exhausting all resources

If a tenant household is receiving any other rent subsidy, only the tenant-portion of the rent is eligible for assistance

Provide requested demographic information on all household members

Provide photo ID(s) for all household members over 18 years of age

​

WHAT CAN ERAP COVER?

ERAP assistance can be applied towards outstanding rent owed since April 2020. A one-time payment can be made for up to six months of rent that does not exceed the rent maximums by bedroom size listed below. Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears cannot be applied towards any fees or utilities.

​

Maximum Monthly Rent:

​

Studio: $712

1 Bed: $854

2 Bed: $1,027

3 Bed: $1,380

4 Bed: $1,565

​

Example: A tenant unit rents for $900 per month. The rent maximum for a one-bedroom unit is $854. The landlord may apply for up to six months of rental arrears for $854 per month or the tenant balance, whichever is less.

​

Example: A tenant unit rents for $850 per month. The rent maximum for a one-bedroom unit is $854. The landlord may apply for up to six months of rental arrears for $850 per month as stated on lease or the tenant balance, whichever is less.

​

INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (ERAP), households must have an estimated household income below 50 percent of Area Median Income. Area Median Income is based on the County where the property/unit is located and the number of people in the household.

​

Income limits can be determined by downloading the income limit calculator and selecting the county of residence and household size or by selecting "Click Here for FY2020 IL Documentation" at this website.

​

DETERMINING TENANT HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Estimated household income should be based on the average income for the last 30 days and include income for all household members over 18 years of age.

​

Income includes but is not limited to:

Gross income before taxes and deductions (including commissions, tips, bonuses, fees)