Since March 2021, the City of Jacksonville’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program has distributed over $62.6 million of federal funds to provide rent and utility assistance to Duval County renter-household residents unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The City of Jacksonville has received an additional $3.3 million of federal funds for rental households in need of rent and utility assistance and will reopen the application portal starting Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 8:00 a.m EST.  The application portal will close to new applications Monday, December 5, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EST. 
 
The funds will be available to citizens to cover up to 12 months of past due rent and utility payments for rental households only that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
 
Federal guidelines require qualifying individuals and families to have an income that falls below 80% of the area median income. Priority must be provided to households that have incomes at or below 50% AMI or have one or more members who have been unemployed for at least 90 days. The income requirements are as follows:
 
Household size                                 50% Total AMI                                   80% Total AMI
 
One person                                         $29,300                                               $46,850     
Two people                                         $33,450                                               $53,550       
Three people                                       $37,650                                               $60,250       
Four people                                         $41,800                                               $66,900       
Five people                                         $45,150                                               $72,300       
Six people                                           $48,500                                               $77,650       
Seven people                                       $51,850                                               $83,000          
Eight people                                        $55,200                                               $88,350
 
In addition to the income prerequisite, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• A resident of Duval County (this includes the Beaches and the Town of Baldwin)

• Part of an “Eligible household” as defined by the Act as follows:

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, or
• experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, 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; and

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 Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. EST  The online application is available by visiting  https://www.coj.net/erap
 
For additional information, read the ERAP FAQs or call (904) 630-2489 (904-630-CITY)
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ERA0269 awarded to the City of Jacksonville by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.