Frequently Asked Questions

The Program began accepting applications Monday, March 1, 2021, at 8 a.m. Central Time and will remain open until all available funds have been committed. The duration of the Program will depend on the number of eligible applicants.

Renter households must have an income no more than 80 percent of area median income (AMI)

AND one or more members of the household must attest in writing that they have either:

• Experienced a reduction in household income,
• Incurred significant costs, or
• Experienced financial hardship

AND one or more individuals within the household must demonstrate they either:

• Are at risk of homelessness or housing instability by providing an eviction notice or past-due utility or rent notice; OR
• Live in unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions

At the time of application submittal to ERA Alabama, the unit must be or have been the applicant’s primary residence during the months for which assistance is being requested.

Any unpaid rent or utility bills you apply for can go no further back than March 13, 2020.

Answer a Few Quick Questions To See If You Qualify
Look Up Your Area Median Income (AMI)

The prioritization period has closed effective July 15, 2021. After all priority applications have been processed, ERA Alabama will process all other applications. All applications with deemed complete tenant and landlord submissions will be reviewed and processed on a first-come-first-serve basis subject to funding availability.

Program funds may be used to provide up to eighteen (18) months of assistance for the following expenses:

• Past due rent: rental arrears may be eligible starting March 13, 2020
• Rent: future rent for up to three months*
• Utilities: includes water, sewer, trash, power, internet and home energy (separately stated expenses related to occupancy of a dwelling such as propane or fuel oil) costs
  • Costs for telephone, cable, or satellite television are NOT eligible under this program

*While applicants may be assisted for up to 18 months, the Program will not commit funds for prospective (future) rent for more than a 3-month period at a time. Applicants must reapply every 3 months and will only be assisted if funds are still available.

Complete an online application OR call a program representative at (833) 620-2434 (toll free) to apply over the phone. The toll-free number offers access to assistance in multiple languages.

• Tenants may apply directly for unpaid or future rent or utilities. If your landlord is willing to participate, you can either apply directly and your landlord will be contacted for additional information, or you can work with your Landlord for them to apply on your behalf using the LANDLORD application.
• If your landlord chooses not to participate in the Program, you as the Tenant may still apply, subject to verification, for rental and utility assistance by completing the online application or by calling the toll-free number listed above to apply over the phone.
• For tenants without an email address, the Landlord can print the application form, obtain a physical signature, and mail or upload the application and related income documents on the tenant’s behalf. If needed, tenants will be contacted by a Program representative to assist in gathering necessary information and documents to complete the Tenant Profile.
• Participation for a Landlord means that either:
  • A Landlord registers with ERA Alabama to receive direct payment rather than rental assistance being paid direct to tenant, or
  • A Landlord separately provides written verification of the landlord-tenant, inclusive of amounts owed and evidence of a fully executed lease agreement, especially when the tenant fails to provide satisfactory evidence to verify the relationship.  Under this option, the landlord agrees that any assistance provided will be paid direct to tenant.  The landlord assumes all risks if the tenant fails to remit the payment to the landlord.

After submitting an application, you will be able to monitor the status of your application through the online dashboard or by calling (833) 620-2434 (toll free) to speak with a customer service representative.

Applicants that have received a denial can appeal the determination by submitting a Request for a Reconsideration form located on our Resources page.

Yes. Eligible households may receive up to 15 months of assistance, plus an additional 3 months, if ERA Alabama determines the extra months are needed to ensure housing stability and grantee funds are available. The payment of existing housing-related arrears that could result in eviction of an eligible household is prioritized. Assistance must be provided to reduce an eligible household’s rental arrears before the household may receive assistance for future rent payments. Once a household’s rental arrears are reduced, grantees may only commit to providing future assistance for up to three months at a time. Households may reapply for additional assistance at the end of the three-month period if needed and the overall time limit for assistance is not exceeded.

The Emergency Rental Assistance bill was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 which provides $25 billion nationally for pandemic-response rental assistance. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of the Treasury. As part of this relief package, the State of Alabama/AHFA received approximately $194 million to administer the state entity program, Emergency Rental Assistance Alabama. Remaining funding totaling $63 million was allocated directly to local jurisdictions with populations greater than 200,000 to administer in their own jurisdictions: Baldwin County, Jefferson County, Madison County, Mobile County, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa County, The City of Birmingham and the City of Huntsville.

As part of the Program application, all tenants and household members must submit the following documentation so we can confirm eligibility:

• Government or current school-issued ID for all household members eighteen years of age and older residing in the subject property.
• Signed copy of rent or lease agreement (or rent receipt)
• Rental ledger covering all periods for which rental assistance is requested
• Notices of late rent payment or notice to evict, if applicable
• The most recent utility bill for which utility assistance is requested. To be eligible for assistance, the name of the tenant and/or address provided per the ERA Alabama application must match the name and/or address for each utility statement submitted.
• Income documentation for all household members 18 years of age and older (or head and/or co-head of household if all members are under 18) must be provided from one of the four options below:
  • Option 1: If you have completed your household’s federal income taxes for 2021, you will need to provide one of the following:
    • Copy of your Filed 2021 IRS Form 1040
    • Copy of your Filed 2021 IRS Form 1040-SR
  • Option 2: If you are a current and qualified recipient of assistance from one or more of the programs listed below, you can provide an applicable benefit letter:
    • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) (EBT)
    • Medicaid
    • LIHEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program)
  • Option 3: Self-certification of total household income.
  • Option 4: If you have not yet completed your federal income taxes for 2021 OR you are not required to file a federal income tax return for 2021, you will need to provide all of the applicable income documentation under one of the following two categories:

Acceptable annual income documentation:

• 2021 IRS Form W2
• Current Social Security Benefits letter or 2021 Form 1099-SA (including benefits paid to minors)
• 2021 Form 1099-R
• 2021 IRS Form 1099-MISC for contractor income

Other acceptable income documentation:

• Check stubs from your employer for the previous 30 days
• Current unemployment benefits letter including gross benefit amount
• Current letter from your employer verifying gross wages (pay rate, hours/week, pay date)
• Current Pension/Retirement Benefit letter (if applicable)
• Current Annuity Payment letter
• Current Interest Statement 1099- INT
• Current Dividend Statement 1099- DIV
• Self-Employment Certification Form
• Cash or No Income Certification Form

In addition, please refer to our Resources page.

If the applicant is currently qualified for and receiving assistance from SNAP/EBT, Medicaid or LIHEAP, subject to presentation and verification of benefit letters that covers the period for which assistance is requested, the application will be considered eligible under program guidelines and any additional income verification is not required.

OR

Income for all household members 18 years of age or older will be considered when calculating annual household income. A household is defined as all persons occupying the same housing unit, regardless of their relationship to each other. The occupants could consist of a single family, two or more families living together or any other group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements.

Household income will be calculated based on the adjusted gross income as defined for purposes of reporting under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040 series for individual federal annual income tax purposes. When determining the number of household members and annual household income, keep in mind:

• Minor children are considered household members. Earned income of minor children is not considered as part of total annual household income.
• Minor children who are subject to shared custody agreements may be counted as household members if the minor child lives in the residence at least 50% of the time.
  • Documentation supporting the claim must be provided
• Temporarily absent family members are considered household members and their income is considered in calculation of household income, regardless of how much the temporarily absent family member contributes to the household.
• Paid, non-related, live-in aides, whether paid by the family or through a social service program, are not considered household members. Income of live-in aides is not considered in the calculation of household income. Related persons do not qualify as live-in aides.
• Permanently absent family members, such as a spouse who resides permanently in a nursing home, may be considered a household member, at the discretion of the head of household/program applicant. If the head of household opts to include a permanently absent family member in the household, the income of the permanently absent household member will be counted in the calculation of annual household income. If the head of household chooses not to include the permanently absent family member as part of the household, the income of the permanently absent family member will not be considered in the calculation of annual household income.

If you do not receive income:

• Please submit the Cash or No Income Certification Form; OR
• Select Option 3 Self-certification of total household income

• A Landlord may receive payments through one of the ways listed below:
  • A Landlord registers with ERA Alabama to receive direct payment rather than rental assistance being paid direct to tenant, or
  • A Landlord separately provides written verification of the landlord-tenant, inclusive of amounts owed and evidence of a fully executed lease agreement, especially when the tenant fails to provide satisfactory evidence to verify the relationship. Under this option, the landlord agrees that any assistance provided will be paid direct to tenant.  The landlord assumes all risks if the tenant fails to remit the payment to the landlord.

Payments will be made using ACH deposit via Bill.com. Once a tenant’s application is approved, the landlord will be asked to provide bank routing information to Bill.com to complete the payment process. Landlords are encouraged to be prepared to provide this information immediately following receipt of an email from Bill.com. If bank routing information is not provided, then a check will be mailed to the Landlord’s address.

Yes, subject to availability of funds. However, if a Tenant has already received assistance for a specific time period, the Program cannot provide duplicative assistance for that same time period. Tenants can apply for three months of future rent payments provided total past and future payments do not exceed a collective total of 18 months. However, effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests.

An eligible household that occupies a federally subsidized residential or mixed-use property may receive Program assistance, provided program funds are available and not applied to costs that have been or will be reimbursed under any other federal assistance.

 If an eligible household receives a monthly federal subsidy (e.g., a Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, or Project-Based Rental Assistance) and the Tenant rent is adjusted according to changes in income, the renter household may receive program assistance for the Tenant-owed portion of rent or utilities that is not subsidized.

It is anticipated that the U.S. Department of Treasury may provide further guidance on this topic and when or if they do, AHFA will update these FAQs. These examples are not exhaustive but are the most common examples in the affordable housing industry. If in doubt, please contact the ERA Alabama call center at 1-833-620-2434.

If your landlord refuses to enroll in the Program, you can still apply directly. In order to provide direct payments, the Program is required to attempt to reach the landlord to confirm their unwillingness to participate. After an outreach period in which the Program has not heard from the landlord or have confirmation they have declined to participate, the payment will be made to the Tenant, if eligible.

• ERA Alabama will initiate three (3) consecutive emails and/or phone calls to the landlord to facilitate their enrollment in the program. If the landlord fails to respond within five (5) days of initial outreach, the Program is authorized to make payment to the Tenant.
• In applications where supporting documents required from the landlord cannot be provided via email, ERA Alabama will notify the Landlord by US mail. Absent any response from the Landlord within seven (7) days of posting of the request for enrollment, the Program is authorized to make payment to the Tenant.

At the time of application submittal to ERA Alabama, the unit must be or have been the applicant’s primary residence during the months for which assistance is being requested.

Effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests.

If you already received assistance for a specific time period, the Program cannot provide duplicative assistance for that same time period. ERA Alabama Program assistance may only be used to pay for incurred costs that are not– and will not be– paid for by any other rental assistance provider to avoid a duplication of benefit.

Yes, subject to the availability of funds. Utility or home energy costs are eligible, even if you do not need rent assistance.

Eligible utilities include electricity, gas, water and sewer, internet services, trash removal and energy costs, such as propane and fuel oil. Telecommunication services, such as telephone and cable costs are NOT eligible for assistance.

Your Landlord can still apply for assistance on your behalf, or you can apply directly. ERA Alabama applications supported by court ordered eviction filings with representation by Legal Services Alabama (or other legal counsel) via the ERA Alabama Imminent Eviction Prevention Initiative. ERA Alabama will process and prioritize eligible and complete applications, subject to funding availability.

No. For this program, only those who rent their homes are eligible. Mortgage payments and utility expenses for homeowners are not eligible for financial assistance under the Program. The below resources have information for homeowners who may need help with their mortgage payments or utility bills. https://www.fhfa.gov/Homeownersbuyer/MortgageAssistance.

Effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept new additional funds requests.

The following Treasury designated emergency jurisdictions in Alabama are separately administered and not affiliated with ERA Alabama:  Baldwin County, Jefferson County, Madison County, Mobile County, Montgomery County, Tuscaloosa County, the City of Birmingham, and the City of Huntsville.  For questions regarding the status of these programs, please contact the designated program administrators.

The Program began accepting applications Monday, March 1, 2021, at 8 a.m. Central Time. However, effective Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 8 a.m. Central Time, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests.

Renter households must have an income no more than 80 percent of area median income (AMI)

AND one or more members of the household must attest in writing that they have either:

• Experienced a reduction in household income,
• Incurred significant costs, or
• Experienced financial hardship

AND one or more individuals within the household must demonstrate they either:

• Are at risk of homelessness or housing instability by providing an eviction notice or past-due utility or rent notice; OR
• Live in unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions

At the time of application submittal to ERA Alabama, the unit must be or have been the applicant’s primary residence during the months for which assistance is being requested.

Any unpaid rent or utility bills you apply for can go no further back than March 13, 2020.

Answer a Few Quick Questions To See If You Qualify
Look Up Your Area Median Income (AMI)

Effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests. ERA Alabama will process eligible and complete applications based on the following order of priority:

• ERA Alabama applications supported by court ordered eviction filings with representation by Legal Services Alabama (or other legal counsel) via the ERA Alabama Imminent Eviction Prevention Initiative.
• All pending and complete applications submitted via the AHFA Bulk Streamlined Process.
• All tenant applications evidenced by an ERA Alabama participating landlord.
• All pending additional funds requests (AFRs).
• Tenant -pay only applications with verified participation or acknowledgement from the tenant’s respective landlord.
• All remaining applications will be processed subject to time constraints and available funding without guarantee.

Program funds may be used to provide up to eighteen (18) months of assistance for the following expenses:

• Past due rent: rental arrears may be eligible starting March 13, 2020
• Rent: future rent for up to three months*
• Utilities: includes water, sewer, trash, power, internet and home energy (separately stated expenses related to occupancy of a dwelling such as propane or fuel oil) costs
  • Costs for telephone, cable, or satellite television are NOT eligible under this program

*While applicants may be assisted for up to 18 months, the Program will not commit funds for prospective (future) rent for more than a 3-month period at a time. Applicants must reapply every 3 months and will only be assisted if funds are still available.

No. The Program provides financial assistance to qualifying applicants to prevent housing instability, potential eviction and financial hardships of tenants and landlords as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Therefore, there are never any costs associated with applying to ERA Alabama. 

The temporary COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Alabama (ERA Alabama) Program has distributed nearly all available funding provided by the U.S. Treasury. The application portal for ERA Alabama will close and will no longer be accepting any new applications or new additional funds requests effective Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 8 a.m. Central Time.

After submitting an application, you will be able to monitor the status of your application through the online dashboard or by calling (833) 620-2434 (toll free) to speak with a customer service representative.

Applicants that have received a denial can appeal the determination by submitting a Request for a Reconsideration form located on our Resources page.

Yes. Eligible households may receive up to 15 months of assistance, plus an additional 3 months, if ERA Alabama determines the extra months are needed to ensure housing stability and grantee funds are available. The payment of existing housing-related arrears that could result in eviction of an eligible household is prioritized. Assistance must be provided to reduce an eligible household’s rental arrears before the household may receive assistance for future rent payments. Once a household’s rental arrears are reduced, grantees may only commit to providing future assistance for up to three months at a time. Households may reapply for additional assistance at the end of the three-month period if needed and the overall time limit for assistance is not exceeded.

The Emergency Rental Assistance bill was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 which provides $25 billion nationally for pandemic-response rental assistance. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of the Treasury. As part of this relief package, the State of Alabama/AHFA received approximately $178.3 million for ERA 1 and $89.6 million for ERA 2 to administer the state entity program, Emergency Rental Assistance Alabama, resulting in a total program funding of $267.9 million. Remaining funding totaling $63 million was allocated directly to local jurisdictions with populations greater than 200,000 to administer in their own jurisdictions: Baldwin County, Jefferson County, Madison County, Mobile County, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa County, The City of Birmingham, and the City of Huntsville.

As part of the Program application, all tenants and household members must submit the following documentation so we can confirm eligibility:

• Government or current school-issued ID for all household members eighteen years of age and older residing in the subject property.
• Signed copy of rent or lease agreement (or rent receipt)
• Rental ledger covering all periods for which rental assistance is requested
• Notices of late rent payment or notice to evict, if applicable
• The most recent utility bill(s) for residence verification and for potential utility assistance is required. To be eligible for assistance, the name of the tenant and address provided per the ERA Alabama application must match the name and address for each utility statement submitted.
• Income documentation for all household members 18 years of age and older (or head and/or co-head of household if all members are under 18) must be provided from one of the four options below:
  • Option 1: If you have completed your household’s federal income taxes for 2021, you will need to provide one of the following:
    • Copy of your Filed 2021 IRS Form 1040
    • Copy of your Filed 2021 IRS Form 1040-SR
  • Option 2: If you are a current and qualified recipient of assistance from one or more of the programs listed below, you can provide an applicable benefit letter:
    • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) (EBT)
    • Medicaid
    • LIHEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program)
  • Option 3: Self-certification of total household income
  • Option 4: If you have not yet completed your federal income taxes for 2021 OR you are not required to file a federal income tax return for 2021, you will need to provide all of the applicable income documentation under one of the following two categories:

Acceptable annual income documentation:

• 2021 IRS Form W2
• Current Social Security Benefits letter or 2021 Form 1099-SA (including benefits paid to minors)
• 2021 Form 1099-R
• 2021 IRS Form 1099-MISC for contractor income

Other acceptable income documentation:

• Check stubs from your employer for the previous 30 days
• Current unemployment benefits letter including gross benefit amount
• Current letter from your employer verifying gross wages (pay rate, hours/week, pay date)
• Current Pension/Retirement Benefit letter (if applicable)
• Current Annuity Payment letter
• Current Interest Statement 1099- INT
• Current Dividend Statement 1099- DIV
• Self-Employment Certification Form
• Cash or No Income Certification Form

In addition, please refer to our Resources page.

If the applicant is currently qualified for and receiving assistance from SNAP/EBT, Medicaid or LIHEAP, subject to presentation and verification of benefit letters that covers the period for which assistance is requested, the application will be considered eligible under program guidelines and any additional income verification is not required.

OR

Income for all household members 18 years of age or older will be considered when calculating annual household income. A household is defined as all persons occupying the same housing unit, regardless of their relationship to each other. The occupants could consist of a single family, two or more families living together or any other group of related or unrelated persons who share living arrangements.

Household income will be calculated based on the adjusted gross income as defined for purposes of reporting under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040 series for individual federal annual income tax purposes. When determining the number of household members and annual household income, keep in mind:

• Minor children are considered household members. Earned income of minor children is not considered as part of total annual household income.
• Minor children who are subject to shared custody agreements may be counted as household members if the minor child lives in the residence at least 50% of the time.
  • Documentation supporting the claim must be provided
• Temporarily absent family members are considered household members and their income is considered in calculation of household income, regardless of how much the temporarily absent family member contributes to the household.
• Paid, non-related, live-in aides, whether paid by the family or through a social service program, are not considered household members. Income of live-in aides is not considered in the calculation of household income. Related persons do not qualify as live-in aides.
• Permanently absent family members, such as a spouse who resides permanently in a nursing home, may be considered a household member, at the discretion of the head of household/program applicant. If the head of household opts to include a permanently absent family member in the household, the income of the permanently absent household member will be counted in the calculation of annual household income. If the head of household chooses not to include the permanently absent family member as part of the household, the income of the permanently absent family member will not be considered in the calculation of annual household income.

If you do not receive income:

•  Please submit the Cash or No Income Certification Form; OR
• Select Option 3 Self-certification of total household income

• A Landlord may receive payments on of the ways listed below:
  • A Landlord registers with ERA Alabama to receive direct payment rather than rental assistance being paid direct to tenant, or
  • A Landlord separately provides written verification of the landlord-tenant, inclusive of amounts owed and evidence of a fully executed lease agreement, especially when the tenant fails to provide satisfactory evidence to verify the relationship. Under this option, the landlord agrees that any assistance provided will be paid direct to tenant.  The landlord assumes all risks if the tenant fails to remit the payment to the landlord. 
• Payments will be made using ACH deposit via Bill.com. Once a tenant’s application is approved, the landlord will be asked to provide bank routing information to Bill.com to complete the payment process. Landlords are encouraged to be prepared to provide this information immediately following receipt of an email from Bill.com. If bank routing information is not provided, then a check will be mailed to the Landlord’s address.

Yes, subject to availability of funds. However, if a Tenant has already received assistance for a specific time period, the Program cannot provide duplicative assistance for that same time period. Tenants can apply for three months of future rent payments provided total past and future payments do not exceed a collective total of 18 months. However, effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests.

An eligible household that occupies a federally subsidized residential or mixed-use property may receive Program assistance, provided program funds are not applied to costs that have been or will be reimbursed under any other federal assistance.

 If an eligible household receives a monthly federal subsidy (e.g., a Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, or Project-Based Rental Assistance) and the Tenant rent is adjusted according to changes in income, the renter household may receive program assistance for the Tenant-owed portion of rent or utilities that is not subsidized.

It is anticipated that the U.S. Department of Treasury may provide further guidance on this topic and when or if they do, AHFA will update these FAQs. These examples are not exhaustive but are the most common examples in the affordable housing industry. If in doubt, please contact the ERA Alabama call center at 1-833-620-2434.

If your landlord refuses to enroll in the Program, you can still apply directly. In order to provide direct payments, the Program is required to attempt to reach the landlord to confirm their unwillingness to participate. After an outreach period in which the Program has not heard from the landlord or have confirmation they have declined to participate, the payment will be made to the Tenant, if eligible.

• A Landlord may receive payments on of the ways listed below:
• A Landlord registers with ERA Alabama to receive direct payment rather than rental assistance being paid direct to tenant, or
• A Landlord separately provides written verification of the landlord-tenant, inclusive of amounts owed and evidence of a fully executed lease agreement, especially when the tenant fails to provide satisfactory evidence to verify the relationship.  Under this option, the landlord agrees that any assistance provided will be paid direct to tenant.  The landlord assumes all risks if the tenant fails to remit the payment to the landlord.
• ERA Alabama will initiate three (3) consecutive emails and/or phone calls to the landlord to facilitate their enrollment in the program. If the landlord fails to respond within five (5) days of initial outreach, the Program is authorized to make payment to the Tenant.
• In applications where supporting documents required from the landlord cannot be provided via email, ERA Alabama will notify the Landlord by US mail. Absent any response from the Landlord within seven (7) days of posting of the request for enrollment, the Program is authorized to make payment to the Tenant.

• At the time of application submittal to ERA Alabama, the unit must be or have been the applicant’s primary residence during the months for which assistance is being requested.
• Effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept any new applications or new additional funds requests.

If you already received assistance for a specific time period, the Program cannot provide duplicative assistance for that same time period. ERA Alabama Program assistance may only be used to pay for incurred costs that are not– and will not be– paid for by any other rental assistance provider to avoid a duplication of benefit.

Yes. Utility or home energy costs are eligible, even if you do not need rent assistance.

Eligible utilities include electricity, gas, water and sewer, internet services, trash removal and energy costs, such as propane and fuel oil. Telecommunication services, such as telephone and cable costs are NOT eligible for assistance.

Your Landlord can still apply for assistance on your behalf, or you can apply directly. ERA Alabama applications supported by court ordered eviction filings with representation by Legal Services Alabama (or other legal counsel) via the ERA Alabama Imminent Eviction Prevention Initiative. ERA Alabama will process and prioritize eligible and complete applications.

No. For this program, only those who rent their homes are eligible. Mortgage payments and utility expenses for homeowners are not eligible for financial assistance under the Program. The below resources have information for homeowners who may need help with their mortgage payments or utility bills. https://www.fhfa.gov/Homeownersbuyer/MortgageAssistance.

Effective December 15, 2022, ERA Alabama will no longer accept new additional funds requests.