Rent & Utility Assistance

The Emergency Rent Assistance Program is intended to prevent homelessness by providing rent assistance to residents who experienced a loss of income due to, or during, coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.  Program applicants at or below 50% AMI will be prioritized for assistance and offered additional housing counseling services. Previous awardees are eligible to receive additional funding by submitting a new application. 

• One or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due, directly or indirectly, to the coronavirus pandemic
• one or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
• Must provide proof of residency in Santa Barbara County.
• Must provide a copy of the signed lease agreement or landlord confirmation if the lease is not available. Documentation must include the amount of rent and all individuals on the lease. 
• For utility payments, the applicant must provide documentation of bills. 
• Household income (households include all individuals on the lease agreement, related or not)  must be 80% or below the Area Median Income for Santa Barbara County. See HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMIT 
  • Program applicants at 50% or below the Area Median Income will be prioritized. 
• Documentation of prior 2 months of income

If applicants are not able to provide documentation validating the amount of their rent, we may process an award up to a monthly maximum of 100 percent of the greater Fair Market Rent or the Small Area Fair Market Rent for the rental unit. This means that the award may be less than the amount of the rent a tenant pays. Additionally, the award granted under these terms is limited to three months at a time. 

For relocation awards, rent reasonableness reviews will be conducted to determine whether the proposed rent is reasonable compared to similar units in the marketplace. In determining comparability, the following factors will be taken into consideration where appropriate and practical:

• Location
• Quality
• Size
• Unit Type
• Amenities
• Housing Services
• Amenities
• Utilities the owner must provide under the lease.

The monthly rent of a unit must not exceed 40% of the household’s monthly income.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMIT

To apply, the income of a household (all individuals on the lease agreement, related or unrelated) must be at or below 80% AMI (area median income).

Individuals per household - Income

• 1 - $78,350
• 2 - $89,550
• 3 - $100,750
• 4 - $111,900
• 5 - $120,900
• 6 - $129,850
• 7 - $138,800
• 8 - $147,750

Photo ID: 

• Driver's License
• Passport 
• CA ID Card
• Other government-issued identification which is not expired and has your photo 
  • Example: Mexico Consular ID Card 

Proof of Residency: (Photo ID (see above) with current address)

• A recent bank statement that shows the applicant's name and address
• Utility bill or other bill that shows the applicant's name and address

Proof of Rental Agreement: 

• Copy of lease or sublease SIGNED AND DATED by tenant and landlord, showing address, tenants, and the rental amount. If your rental hs increased from the amount which is on your lease then bring in the notice of increased rent showing the date rent increased and the amount it increased to. 

Proof of Loss of Income / Financial Hardship Due (Directly or Indirectly) to COVID-19

• Any kind of documentation showing that any household member somehow lost income or suffered financial hardship due to increased costs during the COVID-19 pandemic: 
  • A letter from the employer showing a reduction in ours, pay stubs or bank statements before and after the loss of income, a letter from EDD showing they are/were receiving unemployment, etc. 
  • Write a short note explaining how COVID-19 caused your income to decline. General hardships will not be considered sufficient evidence of financial hardship. The note must be signed and dated and explain how the COVID-19 pandemic decreased your income in any way. 

Proof of Income: 

• Option 1: Enter the "adjusted gross income" from your 2020 or 2021 tax return filed with the IRS> The tax return must be signed and the first two pages must be uploaded. 

OR 

• Option 2: Medicaid, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), School Nutrition Programs (SNP), Subsidized housing (not including housing choice, project based, or Section 8 vouchers) that required income documentation as a condition of residency, Any household income-based state or federally funded assistance program for low-income persons or households, Any locally operated assistance program for low-income persons or households that requires household income verification and uses federal income limits. Any paperwork uploaded must show the name of the person receiving the benefit, the address of the person receiving the benefit, and must have been issued after January 1, 2020 or 2021. 

OR 

• Option 3: Enter income information for every household member reporting income for each applicable type of income following the instructions below. Note: You will need to upload supporting documents for each type of income reported. IF USING PAYSTUBS TO VERIFY INCOME, YOU MUST PROVIDE 2 MONTHS' WORTH OF PAY STUBS. 

If an adult household member does not have ANY income sources whatsoever, then you can select Option 3 and select NO INCOME as the source. You then MUST upload attachment C-Attestation of Zero Income for each person over 18 in the household who does not have an income. SIGNED AND DATED.

Proof of Risk of Housing Instability/Homelessness: 

• Proof of financial hardship due to COVID-19 (see above) 
• Past due rent and/or utility bills
• Eviction notice
• Utility shutoff notice
•  SIGNED AND DATED note from landlord or tenant explaining housing instability 
  • Example: A letter stating that you are not able to pay your rent and are therefore at risk of becoming homeless/evicted

UP TO DATE LEGER SHOWING TOTAL RENTAL ARREARS OWED (If you are asking for rental arrears): 

• An up-to-date ledger showing the total rental arrears owed to your landlord: the amount and for which months arrears are owed must be included. Ledger should be signed and dated BY LANDLORD. The ledger must be up to date to the current month or the last month you lived there if you have moved out. 

UTILITIES: (If applicable) 

• If you need assistance with arrears owed to a utility company, you will need to provide the most recent utility bill for each utility company you are requesting assistance with. You should be able to download it from the website for many utility companies as a single PDF, or you may receive the bill by mail every month.