Emergency rental assistance program opens Thursday to applicants

Renters in Sheridan County may be eligible for help with rent, internet and/or utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online application starts Thursday for assistance through Wyoming’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program pays landlords and utility companies on behalf of Wyoming renters who meet income eligibility requirements and are struggling to pay rent and/or utility or internet charges. Eligible households can obtain help for current and future payments.

According to information from Sheridan County, people are eligible for assistance if they rent their home in Wyoming or have unpaid rent in a previous Wyoming residence, their household income is equal to or less than 80 percent of area median income, they can show financial loss due to COVID-19 and they are at risk of experiencing housing instability or homelessness.

Renters will be asked to provide documentation to demonstrate each of these criteria in the online application, so they need to gather documents before starting the application process. They will also be asked for a copy of their lease agreement. For more information, including how to apply for assistance, see this story online at sheridan-media-dot-com.

The application is only available online, but Sheridan County residence can set an appointment to receive one-on-one assistance with their application by scheduling an appointment with Jennifer Graves at 210-9066 or emailing her at jgraves@sheridancounty.com. Over-the-phone assistance is also available at 1-877-WYO ERAP.

The online application as well as details on eligibility, required documentation and how to apply can be found at https://dfs.wyo.gov/erap.