Emergency Rent & Utility Assistance Instructions and Information

Thank you for your interest in the Dauphin County Emergency Rent and Utility Assistance Program. Dauphin County has launched new software for the Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program also known as ERAP (Rent Relief by Yardi).

The application process is currently paused at this time for new applications and reapplications.

IF you are a landlord or property manager seeking information about applicants, please log on to dauphincounty.rentrelief.com to sign into your account. No matter how many properties you are responsible for, the fastest way to gain information about the households that have applied for ERAP is through dauphincounty.rentrelief.com.

Please note: There is a help center on the upper right side which can guide you through the proper set up including having multiple users of your property management organization (Landlord Registration & User Setup) access the information as well as uploading documents and linking each property you rent.

IF you are a tenant/applicant seeking information on an existing application, please visit dauphincounty.rentrelief.com to login to your account and view your application status.

Please note: There is a help center in the upper right side of portal that can guide you, and if you have any questions, you can contact 211 to assist Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm.

Eligibility Criteria for ERAP 1

Qualify for unemployment benefits OR experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19 that threaten the household’s ability to pay the costs of the rental property when due; AND
Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which may include past due rent and utility notices and eviction notices; AND
Must be at 80% Area Median Income or below.

Eligibility Criteria for ERAP 2

Qualify for unemployment benefits OR experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due, directly or indirectly, to the coronavirus pandemic; AND
Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which may include past due rent and utility notices and eviction notices; AND
The household is defined as a low-income family (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b))).

Area Median Income (AMI)

As previously stated, applicants must be at or below 80% AMI. Income eligibility is determined based on 2020 annual gross income or current monthly gross income for the total household. Acceptable forms of income can include but are not limited to wages/pay stubs, 2020 tax returns for annual income, business income, social security or pensions, interest on savings accounts, TANF (welfare/cash assistance), unemployment benefits and any other periodic payments such as child support or gifts from any source.

If an applicant provides 2020 annual income, the following AMI table is used to determine income eligibility.

FY 2020 Income Limits Category Harrisburg-Carlisle Region	1 Person	2 Persons	3 Persons	4 Persons	5 Persons	6 Persons	7 Persons	8 Persons
Extremely Low (30%) Income Limits	17,850	20,400	22,950	26,200	30,680	35,160	39,640	44,120
Very Low (50%) Income Limits	29,750	34,000	38,250	42,500	45,900	49,300	52,700	56,100
Low (80%) Income Limits	47,600	54,400	61,200	68,000	73,450	78,900	84,350	89,800

If an applicant provides current monthly income, the following AMI table is used to determine income eligibility. (*current monthly income is annualized to compared to the AMI table*)

FY 2023 Income Limits Category Harrisburg-Carlisle Region	1 Person	2 Persons	3 Persons	4 Persons	5 Persons	6 Persons	7 Persons	8 Persons
Extremely Low (30%) Income Limits	21,000	24,000	27,000	30,000	35,140	40,280	45,420	50,560
Very Low (50%) Income Limits	34,950	39,950	44,950	49,900	53,900	57,900	61,900	65,900
Low (80%) Income Limits	55,900	63,900	71,900	79,850	86,250	92,650	99,050	105,450

Number of People in Household
The number of people in your household includes all adults in the rental unit, whether listed on your lease or not, all children living in the rental more than 50% of the time, and any foster children or adults. Do not include live-in aids. Do not include unborn children.

Prioritization

Please be aware that this is a first come, first serve process, prioritized based on a few regulatory factors including income and period of unemployment. Prioritization is given to first time applicants with household income under 50% of the area median income (AMI). The County and its providers will continue to review applications as long as funds are available and will consider households between 51% and 80% AMI, as funds allow.

Eviction Mediation
It is important to create a line of communication with the landlord or utility provider that you owe arrears to. If this line of communication has been severed, a case manager that will reach out to you will help you with that communication. If you are continuing to struggle, please call the Eviction Mediation Facilitator, Michele Chilton, at the Neighborhood Dispute Settlement at 717-233-8255.

Questions and Support
If you need support in understanding or accessing your existing application, you can contact 2-1-1 for assistance or to be scheduled for an appointment with one of our providers. Please note that Dauphin County is NOT accepting new applications or reapplications at this time.

If you have any questions, please call 2-1-1 (8AM – 8PM, M-F) or email rentutilityassist@dauphincounty.gov.

If you are facing inevitable eviction within the next 14 days, we encourage you to contact the HELP office of Christian Churches United. They may be able to assist you with other programs more quickly. That number is (717) 238-2851.

Other ERAP Resources

Dauphin County Emergency Rental Assistance Appeals and Fair Hearing Policy (English)

Appeal Request Form (English)

ERAP Flyer