Prince George’s County Offering Another Round of Rent Relief

• March 3, 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

Prince George's County is reopening a rent relief program for tenants who have been financially affected by the pandemic.

On Thursday, landlords with licensed rentals in the county will be able to apply for funds through Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)'s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to cover payments for their eligible tenants.  

The assistance can cover up to 12 months of unpaid rent starting from April 2020, minus any late fees or other costs associated with the delinquencies. Tenants must be earning up to 80% of area median income (AMI) and either qualify for unemployment or have had their pay reduced due to the pandemic.

Renters whose landlords are unwilling to apply for ERAP funds can apply for up to six months of rental payments starting from April 2020, and can also apply for relief to cover unpaid utility bills. Any payments awarded would be paid directly to the landlord or utility company on the tenant's behalf.

Last year, DHCD granted $10 million in rental assistance. Montgomery County has also released another round of rent relief for households earning up to 60% of AMI, and DC's rental assistance programs also remain active.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/prince-georges-county-offering-another-round-of-rent-relief/17954