Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation’s Capital City COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program (COVID-RAP) will provide emergency rental assistance to households within Baton Rouge’s city limits with a gross income at 80% or below Area Median Income (AMI), have received economic harm in the household due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delinquent in their rent payment(s) for at least 30 days, and not receiving rental assistance through other organizations or agencies. For the purpose of this program, economic harm includes households that have experienced substantial loss in income, loss of compensable hours of work or wages, lay-offs, or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Current Income Limits and Fair Market Rents (FMR) as established by HUD for the City of Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish will also be used to determine eligibility. This program is limited to households who are at or below 80% of AMI as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
Household Size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
80% Area Median Income |
$44,000 |
$50,250 |
$56,550 |
$62,800 |
$67,850 |
$72,850 |
$77,900 |
$82,900
|
The program is designed to assist eligible households with emergency rental assistant payment for up to 6 months of delinquency. The amount of rental assistance is limited to $1,000.00 per month with a maximum of $2,000.00 per household. The rental assistance will be in the form of a one-time grant payment that is paid directly to the tenant’s landlord and is based on the tenant’s inability to pay rent due to economic harm as a result COVID-19. All rental assistance provided through this program must bring tenant’s rental account current.
Program preferences will include households in the process of being evicted for nonpayment of rent (received a notice to vacate after June 1, 2020), elderly individuals (head/cohead of household or spouse is 62 years or age or older) and adults with disabilities (head/cohead of household or spouse is disabled). Eligible applicants must be the primary lease holder, be living in their eligible primary dwelling unit (apartment, single-family home, duplex-style, townhome, and mobile home), must complete an online application, and provide supporting documentation to determine eligibility. If the landlord agrees to participate in the program, the landlord must affirm the household was in good standing prior as of June 1, 2020, agree to wave late and other fees related to the delinquent rent payment(s), and complete an IRS W9 form for eligibility prior to any funds being released.
Families or Households living in governmental (federal, state, or local) housing subsidy are not eligible for rental assistance under this program. Examples of housing subsidy include:
- Families currently residing in Public Housing;
- Families receiving a Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8, live in a Project-Based Voucher (PBV) or Project Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) unit, Permanent Supportive Housing/Section 811 or receive Rental Assistance from USDA’s Rural Development;
- If you live in a housing development with a mortgage financed by Louisiana Housing Corporation or a federal agency;
Document Checklist
- Completed Application (completed by head/cohead of household)
- Valid State of Louisiana issued driver’s license or photo ID for head/cohead of household
- Copy of a valid and current active lease agreement signed by landlord and head/cohead of household
- Landlord Affidavit (completed and submitted by the landlord once application has been pre-approved)
- IRS W-9 Form (completed and submitted by the landlord once application has been pre-approved)
Click Here to Submit an Application
Click Here to Access the Landlord Affidavit