Pittsburgh, PA — The Allegheny County Emergency Rental Assistance fund, part of the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), has been an important funding source for renters struggling to afford their rent and utility bills. This program will expire on March 31st, and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) encourages renters and landlords of eligible renters to use these final days to apply.
Since the introduction of the program last March, PWSA has awarded grants to eligible customers totaling $390,250. These grants help our most vulnerable customers pay their water and sewer bill and reduce past due balances. The funding is available to renters on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be applied to future and past due rental and utility payments.
“Rental assistance has played a crucial role in helping our residents and neighbors through difficult financial times,” stated Will Pickering, PWSA Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful for the access to these funds and strongly urge any renters who still need help to take advantage of the program before it expires at the end of this month.”
The ERAP program began on March 15, 2021, with a total of $37 million available to provide families in Allegheny County and the city of Pittsburgh with necessary financial relief. New applications will be accepted until March 31st. Renters who already submitted an application will be able to request additional payments on March 15th, but payments will not extend past May. Those already receiving rent or utility assistance can only request an additional three months of payments, provided they do not exceed the 15-month maximum for the program.
How do I qualify for assistance?
To qualify, a household must pay rent and meet each of the following requirements:
- One or more persons within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in income, had increased household costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- One or more individuals in the household can show a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
- The household has an income at or below 80 percent of area median income. In Allegheny County, this equals $66,400 for a family of four. For more information about how median income limits apply to your household, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Applicants will need to provide the following information: Head of household’s personal information; Income information for all household members 18 and older; Rental lease and amount owed; Landlord’s name and contact information. If applying for utility assistance, applicants must provide utility expenses and utility provider information.
How do I apply for utility assistance?
Visit covidrentrelief.alleghenycounty.us to apply. Once you submit an application that requests help with utilities, someone from Dollar Energy Fund will contact you. Landlords may also apply on behalf of their tenants.
What if I need help applying?
A guide and FAQs on applying for utility assistance can be found on Allegheny County’s COVID relief website or by emailing rentalassistance@actionhousing.org. If you don’t have WiFi, a computer, or need help completing the application, contact ACTION-Housing by calling (412) 248-0021 or stop by designated drop-in centers to use free WiFi and available computers.
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is proud to be one of many organizations in Allegheny County participating in the Emergency Rental Relief Program. It is a collaborative effort including the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, City of Pittsburgh, ACTION-Housing, YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and others.
PWSA offers a variety of Customer Assistance Programs to help customers reduce their water and wastewater bill. For more information, please visit www.pgh2o.com/CAP.
About PWSA
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is the largest combined water, sewer and stormwater authority in Pennsylvania, serving 300,000 consumers throughout the City of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.
