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Human Services - 2021 Rental Assistance

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1. When can I apply for rental assistance/utility assistance?

We are making final changes to the new online application and expect tenants to be able to register in mid-March. The tenant application will stay open until all funds are spent.

Applicants may go online to www.piercecountywa.gov/housinghelp to complete the find applications for rental assistance and utility assistance. For households who do not have internet access, please call 211 and complete the application over the phone.

2. I received rental assistance in 2020. Am I eligible for assistance in 2021? Will I have to reapply?

Yes, households that were assisted in 2020 are eligible to apply under the 2021 rental assistance program. Yes, you will have to reapply.

3. What is the application process?

Tenants can apply using our online application found at www.piercecountywa.gov/housinghelp. After submission, your application will be referred to a service provider for processing and to determine eligibility.  After the providers receive the referral, they will make initial contact with you and provide next steps.  The service provider may contact you for additional documentation and contact your landlord for documentation.  The provider will then schedule an intake meeting if necessary.

Please note: We anticipate a large number of applications when the program begins, so wait times for providers to make initial contact you with may vary. We appreciate your patience.

4. When/how will I be notified when I am approved?

A service provider will work with the applicant to determine eligibility and collect required documentation.  The applicant will be contacted regarding the outcome of eligibility via email or phone. You can always check the status of your application on our website at www.piercecountywa.gov/housinghelp.

5. Who do I contact if I need assistance with the application?

If you have no access to the internet, you can call 2-1-1 for help filling out the online application over the phone.

If you have specific questions about the application, you can email [email protected]. As applications are received, we will provide regular updates to address questions.

For a status update on your rental application after you’ve applied, please log back into the application and check for the status update.

6. How do I know if my income qualifies for assistance?

Household current income must be at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). See chart below for limits.

Household Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Income Limit (Maximum)	$50,900	$58,150	$65,400	$72,650	$78,500	$84,300	$90,100	$95,900

Income includes all adult (18 years and older) household members and unearned income attributable to a minor (17 years and younger). A household is one or more individuals seeking assistance together. Providers must calculate the household’s total gross income for calendar year 2020 or the household’s current monthly income at the time of application

If income is a fixed amount (TANF, SSDI, etc.), multiply the gross monthly amount by 12 to determine annual income.

If income is not at a fixed amount each month, (TANF, SSDI, etc.) determine the average over the last 60 days by using the following method: $(60 days of total income)/2 = Average income X 12 months=Annual income

7. I received assistance through another rental assistance program in 2021. Can I apply for this program also?

Yes, if you received assistance from another program and are still past due on your rent, you may apply through this program. However, this program must ensure no duplication of services with any other federal fund source, so there may be a limit on how much assistance your household can receive.

8. Does this program serve people in Tacoma?

Yes!  This program serves all of Pierce County, including residents who live within the City of Tacoma.

9. How will I be contacted by the provider?

The provider will be in touch via email and phone.  Please check your email regularly after you have submitted your application and please answer unknown calls.  Providers will attempt to contact you three times before marking your file “unable to contact” and moving to the next household.

10. I rent a room from family/friend. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, households who are renting from a friend/family member are eligible to apply.  Households will have to provide an informal lease agreement with the household or bank statements showing payments have been previously paid to the friend/family member. Rent amount depends on the number of bedrooms in the house and fair market rent.

11. I have gotten to page 3 of the application and it goes blank. OR the application isn’t working with my internet browser. What do I do?

Log out of the application, refresh your browser and log back in to try again. We recommend NOT using Internet Explorer, but find that Chrome works the best.

Please make sure that you have completed all the questions. This program is ONLY for renters in Pierce County so if you are not a renter, the process will not let you continue.

12. Now that I've applied for rental assistance, is this a guarantee that my application will be accepted?

No.  Payment depends on eligibility, documentation from the tenant, documentation from the landlord, and available funds.  Households can check their status by logging back into the portal anytime.

13. I live in a hotel/motel. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, households who are long term stayers (14-days or longer) at a hotel/motel are eligible to apply.  The monthly amount will be based on efficiency apartments fair market rents.  Households will have to provide a past due statement from the hotel/motel and documentation showing payments have been previously paid to the hotel/motel.

14. My contact information has changed since I submitted my application, what do I do?

Log back into the application and update your information.

15. I am currently homeless. Am I eligible to apply?

No.  This program is for households that are living in their current rental units.  If you’re experiencing homelessness, please call 211 for a Coordinated Entry Assessment.

16. My rent is not past due, can I apply for just utility assistance?

Yes. If your rent is not past due, but you are unable to pay your utilities and have a bill showing the past due amount you can apply for utility assistance. This program can not pay utilities and leave your rent past due.

17. What utilities are eligible?

Electric, Water/Sewer, Gas, Garbage Pickup, Fuel Oil, and Internet

18. I have a housing choice/section 8 vouchers. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, households with Housing Choice/Section 8 vouchers are eligible to apply. This program can help with the tenant’s portion of the rent and utilities as deemed eligible.

19. I need help with my Car payment/Car Insurance. Does this program help with that?

No, this program does not help with car payments/insurance.

20. I left my apartment; can this program help with the balance I owe my landlord?

No, this program is for households that are in their current rental unit.

21. Can I select a specific provider that I would like to work with?

Yes, you can select a specific provider from the application. There is no guarantee that you will be referred to your provider of choice, but Pierce County staff will make every effort to get you referred appropriately and quickly.

22. Can this program pay rent directly to the tenant?

No, the Pierce County Rental Assistance program will not issue payments directly to tenants.  Checks will only be sent to the landlord or friend/family member or hotel manager. Utility and other payments will only be sent to the utility or bill provider.  

23. Can this program pay for my future rent payments?

No, this program can not pay future rents.  Rents must be in arrears to be eligible for payment.

24. How long will it take to pay my rent?

The time frame for coordinating with the landlord and determining that a client is eligible will vary depending on the documentation submitted and how quickly households and landlords respond.  If an application is submitted with all required documentation, they will be processed more quickly than an application that is missing items.  Payments are made directly to landlords.

Please note: We anticipate a large number of applications when the program begins, so wait times for providers to make initial contact you with may vary. We appreciate your patience.

25. Who do I contact if I’m experiencing technical difficulties?

Please email [email protected] or call 2-1-1 to apply over the phone.

26. What documents can I use as evidence of income?

Participants can submit wage statements, unemployment compensation statements, pay stubs, public benefits statements and bank statements as evidence of income.  Providers will work with households to collect missing documentation.  

27. What documentation do I need from my landlord?

Renting a Home/Apartment or a room in a home

The applicant must have a lease or rental agreement in your name, and the service provider will request a W-9 from the landlord.  The lease may be month to month, or it may be longer. 

Renting from a Friend/Family Member

The applicant must have a lease or informal agreement or be able to provide bank statements showing payments have been made.  The service provider will request a W-9 from the friend/family member.

Staying in a hotel/motel

The applicant will need to provide a past due statement from the hotel/motel manager and proof that payments have been made in the past.  The program will need a W-9 from the hotel/motel.

28. I applied for assistance and am now past due for an additional month of rent. May I re-apply if I need more rental assistance?

You do not need to reapply, just log back in and select additional months of assistance. The application will alert the provider that you need more assistance, and they will start the process.  If your income documentation is older than 90 days, they will need to collect updated documents.

29. Is rental assistance provided per lease holder or per residential dwelling?

Assistance is provided to each unique residential address. If another leaseholder has already received rental assistance to bring your balance current and they have received the maximum allotted amount, then the secondary lease holder does not qualify for assistance.

30. Can I go back and make changes to my original application if I have realized I made a mistake?

Yes.  Just log back in and update your information. Eligibility questions cannot be changed during process but contact information can. If you are missing a document, the provider will help you collect the required documentation.

31. I was unable to attach documents when I submitted my application, what do I do now?

Please hold on to your documentation until the provider contacts you. They will collect everything when they complete the intake.

32. I'm not behind in rent yet, but I will be soon. Can I apply?

Rent must be in arrears (currently overdue) for application submission and program enrollment. This means any rent payments that should have already been paid in the past, that are currently due (i.e. late) to your landlord or property manager. This rental assistance cannot be used to pay future rent. We know the state and federal government allow for future payments, however this County does not.

If you are not behind on your rent, but are behind on any of the following, you may apply:

• Electric
• Water/Sewer
• Gas
• Garbage Pickup
• Fuel Oil
• Internet

33. Do I need to pay back rental assistance I receive?

No, rental assistance paid on behalf of eligible households does not need to be paid back. This is not a loan program.

34. Does this program help with move-in costs?

No, this program is only for rental and utility assistance.

35. How do I submit documentation for multiple properties as a landlord?

If you have multiple properties, please create one log-in and upload a W-9 for each property.

36. Will my tenants be able to see my W-9 or banking information after I pre-register?

No, tenants will not see your log-in information, W-9 or banking information.

37. What sources of income are included in the household income?

We must have proof of all sources of income for each family member, including but not limited to:

• Earned Income
• SSI/SSDI
• VA Benefits
• Unemployment benefits
• TANF
• Child support / alimony
• Annuity payments

38. I have documents that I could not upload. What do I do with them?

Please hold on to them and the provider will collect them once you’re approved and they start the intake process.

39. I am a landlord and want to upload documents for my tenants. How do I do that?

Our software developers are currently making changes to the application to and by March 9, we expect a new section for landlords to upload tenant documents

40. I can’t remember my password. What should I do?

Click the “Change your password” icon on the log-in page and an email to reset your password will be sent to you.

41. It says to “verify my email.” How do I do that?

After registering, check your email and click the link we sent you.  That will verify your email and you will be able to log back in and complete your application.

42. I don’t live in Pierce County. Can I still apply?

No, this program is for Pierce County renters only.  Please check your local area for rental assistance options.