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Phila Rental Assistance Program - Applications Open May 12 - May 16th

By Kristen Matteucci •  May 12, 2020

Last week, the City of Philadelphia announced a COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (en Español) for certain tenants, in the hopes of keeping about 3,000 families in their homes. The program aims to help those who have lost income due to COVID-19 and need help paying rent, by providing up to $2,500 for those tenants who are selected. Because funding is limited, not everyone who applies will receive assistance. 

Applications may only be submitted starting on Tuesday, May 12th at 10 am and ending on Saturday, May 16th at 5 pm. Renters can apply online or call 3-1-1 for application information. 

To be eligible, renters must:

  • Rent an apartment or house in Philadelphia
  • Have a valid and current written lease signed by landlord
  • Have lost income because of COVID-19
  • Meet income guidelines

Potential applicants must also provide certain documents and need their landlord to agree to certain conditions. Anyone who wants to apply should read the “Apply” page carefully before doing so. 

Renters are NOT eligible if they live in public housing or receive other government rental assistance (e.g., Section 8, Housing Choice Vouchers, etc.).

Relatedly, on May 7th, 2020, Governor Wolf signed an executive order to protect Pennsylvanians from evictions or foreclosures through July 10th. For more information about protections from eviction or foreclosures related to the pandemic, see PhillyTenant.org or Community Legal Service’s page for Philadelphia Homeowners, respectively. 

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