Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Weinroth is please to announce the County’s Community Services Department has reopened its portal for Emergency Rental Assistance.
Palm Beach County recently received $45.2 million in federal funding to be used for rent and utility assistance. This funding was a part of the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance approved by Congress to be distributed to communities throughout the country.
Eligible residents of Palm Beach County must be in a renter household and meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Have a household income at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI);
- Incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardships, due to COVID-19;
- Experienced a reduction of household income or qualifies for unemployment; and/or
- Demonstrates a risk of homelessness or housing instability.
All applicants must present the following documentation to apply for services:
- Evidence of COVID-19 direct or indirect impact;
- Evidence of risk of homelessness or housing instability;
- Evidence of income eligibility; and
- Valid government issued ID
Payments for rent will be made directly to landlords.
For rental assistance, landlords must be registered as vendors with Palm Beach County. Utility assistance for eligible rental assistance only applies towards electric, water and gas.
Rental assistance will be given for up to 12 months. If approved., applicants may be paid up to three months in advance, and income and crisis must be recertified for each three month period. Applicants must submit the correct information along with all required documentation to expedite approval.
Applications must be made through the Palm Beach County online portal.
Eligible residents may apply for emergency rental assistance at RentalAssistancePBC.org or PBCGov.org/OSCARRS.
Applications will be prioritized for clients who are below 30 percent AMI , facing evictions and currently unemployed for more than 90 days.
Emergency rental assistance ensures members of our community who have been severely impacted by the hardship of the last year can continue to have a home and have access to essential services, without worrying about displacement.
If you have any additional questions, or would like to inquire more information, you can call the Palm Beach County Community Services Department’s Contact Center at 561.355.4792.