New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program provides assistance to eligible residents of New Hampshire who cannot pay their rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on this program visit www.nhhfa.org/emergency-rental-assistance.
On February 25, 2021, Governor Chris Sununu has announced a new rental assistance program funded through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) with federal Emergency Rental Assistance Funds to provide assistance to eligible residents of New Hampshire who cannot pay their rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GOFERR will collaborate with the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) to establish the New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program (NHERAP). NHHFA will work directly with the five regional Community Action Partnerships (CAPs) that will accept and process applications and payments for the program.
NHERAP funds can cover current and past due rent, as well as utility and home energy costs for eligible households. This assistance is available retroactive to April 1, 2020 through the date of application, and the applicant may also receive assistance for these same expenses going forward. Households may receive assistance for a total of 12 months.
Payments will be provided directly to the landlord or utility provider on behalf of the household. Landlords, with the tenant’s permission, may apply for assistance on behalf of their tenant.
To be eligible, at least one person in the household must qualify for unemployment benefits, had their income reduced, had significant costs, or had other financial hardship due to COVID-19. The household must also be at risk for homelessness and meet certain income requirements.
The program is federally funded and must follow federal law. This program is only for eligible renters and landlords, not homeowners, per federal rules.
The NHERAP application will be available on March 15, 2021 through the local CAP agencies.
For additional assistance:
- Contact the local CAP agency: www.CAPNH.org
- Contact NHHFA RentHelpNH or by email renthelp@nhhfa.org
- Call 2-1-1, www.211nh.org/, dial 211 from any NH phone, or call 1.866.444.4211