Virginia Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

Virginia CARES+ Programs:

• Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program 

Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief program is partnering with nonprofits and local governments, who will distribute it to eligible households. To qualify, renters or homeowners have to show proof of income — unemployment compensation counts — and a valid lease or mortgage statement, or simply documentation from the landlord confirming they are renting that home. Eligible homeowners and renters can apply and get one-time financial assistance to cover payments back to April 1 and going forward. People applying must have a rent or mortgage at or below 150% of the fair market rent and an income at or below 80% of the median area income. But from now until July 20, households with a gross household income at or below 50% of the area median income will get priority.

• State of Virginia People Inc. Rental Assistance Program 

People Inc. is offering rental assistance to qualifying individuals who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rental assistance will be paid directly to landlords of qualifying tenants. Rental assistance is available to qualifying individuals who live in Buchanan County, Bristol City, Clarke County, Culpeper County, Dickenson County, Fauquier County, Frederick County, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Page County, Prince William County, Rappahannock County, Russell County, Shenandoah County, Warren County and Washington County.

• Alexandria COVID-19 Emergency Rent Relief Assistance Program 

Alexandria is now accepting applications for $600 per month for three months of emergency rental assistance for low-income residents affected by COVID-19.

• City of Charlottesville Housing RELIEF Fund Program 

On June 15, 2020, Charlottesville City Council unanimously voted to create the Housing RELIEF Fund to address the City’s housing crisis due to COVID-19. The Fund provides short-term financial assistance to tenants and landlords in the form of rent payments. The program focuses on providing assistance to the following groups:

1.) Individuals residing in the City who were recently released from a correctional institution (from January 2020 to present).

2.) Individuals and households in the City that are experiencing homelessness, and more specifically, households with children under the age of 18.

3.) Landlords who have rental tenants that reside in the City and are at risk of experiencing homelessness due to nonpayment of rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• City of Danville’s COVID-19 Residential Rental Rent/Mortgage Assistance Program 

This fund will assist with delinquent mortgage and/or rent for individuals affected by COVID-19. (Affected includes: loss of job, work hours decreased, had to stay home to take care of child due to daycare or schools being closed or unable to work or apply for work due to positive COVID-19 test) The mortgage/rent must be delinquent from March 25 to current day.

• Emergency Financial Assistance Program: City of Falls Church 

The City of Falls Church is offering emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities for those who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. City of Falls Church, Housing and Human Services also serves as a referring agency for needs such as food, dental care for adults, and health care.

• Front Royal Rental and Mortgage Assistance Program 

The Salvation Army in Front Royal is offering assistance with rental and mortgage arrearages. To qualify, your arrearage must be related to COVID-19. The following information is required to be brought to appointments: proof of income before and after COVID, copies of major bills and a letter from your landlord or mortgage company showing the amount of arrearage.

• Henrico COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program: Henrico County 

The Henrico COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance (COVID-19-ERA) program provides emergency rental assistance to income-eligible households economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through job loss, furlough, reduction in hours of pay, and/or extraordinary child/adult care expenses as a result of school or daycare closures. Assistance is intended for the purpose of preventing homelessness. Applicants who do not face imminent homelessness because they have financial resources, have made suitable arrangements with their landlord to avoid loss of housing, or who have family, friends, or others who would assist them to avoid homelessness do not qualify for these grants.

Rental assistance is made possible through the use of Community Development Block Grant-CV (CDBG-CV) & Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV) funds. CDBG-CV & ESG-CV funds will be used for emergency rental payments on behalf of income-eligible households economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Payment will be made directly to a bona fide landlord, property management agent or company to pay down rentals in arrears.

Emergency rental assistance will be made on behalf of eligible Henrico residents while funds last. Payments will be made up to $1,500 per month, for a maximum period of 4 months. Payments are limited to rental arears, delinquency fees, and court costs accrued during the pandemic, and are limited to property currently occupied by the applicant. Payments are limited to one per household.

• Loudon County COVID-19 Limited Rent Assistance 

On April 7, the Loudon County Board of Supervisors approved $200,000 from the Eastern Loudoun County Home Revitalization Program to create the rental assistance program.

• Eviction Diversion Program: City of Richmond 

The Stoney administration today announced that $6 million of the $20.1 million in CARES Act funding provided to the city will fund the Eviction Diversion Program and rental assistance.
The sum represents 30 percent of the state’s total allocation to the City of Richmond. The funding will support both households currently facing evictions pending in the courts as well as those at risk of eviction due to economic challenges arising from COVID-19.

• Virginia Beach Eviction Prevention Assistance Program 

The Virginia Beach Eviction Prevention Assistance program will provide eligible households with short-term assistance towards rental arrears since April 1, 2020 and one month’s rent. Assistance is provided one time, and payments are made directly to the landlord or property manager.

• Greater Williamsburg Rental Assistance Program: Williamsburg, James City County, and York County

The Williamsburg Health Foundation said it is granting $1 million to be split up between the City of Williamsburg, James City County and York County to prevent rental evictions. Many residents have been on the verge of evictions from their rental property as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.