City of Jacksonville announces another round of COVID-related rental assistance

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —

Duval County renters will have another shot at emergency rental assistance, the City of Jacksonville announced Thursday.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) assists Duval households unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Money will be available to qualifying residents to cover up to 12 months of rent and utility payments with the option for an additional three months if determined necessary to ensure housing stability.

ERAP has approximately $10 million remaining to assist Duval County residents who have been unable to pay their rent or utilities due to a loss of income related to COVID-19.

United Way is administering the rental assistance payments and the City and JEA will administer the utility assistance payments.

Households must be re-certified every three months to continue receiving assistance.

An “Eligible household” must include one or more individuals who are obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling in Duval County and must also demonstrate all three criteria below:

1. One or more individuals within the household has:

• qualified for unemployment benefits

• experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship dues, directly or indirectly, to COVID-19 and can attest to such in writing.

2. One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which may include:

• a past due utility or rent notice or eviction notice

• unsafe or unhealthy living conditions; or

• any other evidence of such risk, as determined by the City

3. The household has a household income that is not more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) for the household.

Residents can apply online beginning Friday, September 3 at 8 a.m. The online application is available at https://www.coj.net/erap.

For additional information, see the attached FAQs or call (904) 630-2489 (CITY).

* The Emergency Rental Assistance Program does not include mortgage assistance.

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