APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!
EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2022.
EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW, ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO FIRST TIME APPLICANTS ONLY.
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE!
The ACDS Eviction Prevention Program is OPEN for new applications from financially-eligible Anne Arundel County renters who have not received Emergency Rental Assistance in the past. Renters must be in arrears directly or indirectly due to factors related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Renters who have received assistance in the past may be eligible for additional assistance only if the household is at risk of imminent eviction, as described below.
Priority for processing applications for rental assistance is given to those applicants who are most at risk of eviction. All applicants should pay their rent, to the extent possible, as they await processing of their application.
Emergency Rental Assistance is subject to tenant eligibility and funding availability. ACDS may close the application portal without further notice before July 31, 2022, depending on the volume of applications received.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL APPLICANTS AT RISK OF IMMINENT EVICTION: EMAIL IS REQUIRED FOR EXTRA ATTENTION!
All new applicants and all applicants who have received assistance in the past who are scheduled for eviction or who are in the court process for failure to pay rent must contact ACDS by email at evictionprevention@acdsinc.org to ensure they are identified for priority processing. The email should include the following information and documentation:
- The tenant’s name should be noted in the Subject Line. Include the eviction date in the Subject Line if an eviction is scheduled.
- Include the following information regarding the tenant:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address (if the email is not sent from the tenant’s email address)
- Attach at least one of the following documents:
- Notice of Eviction Date
- Warrant of Restitution/Warrant for Possession
- Judgment for Failure to Pay Rent
- Notice of Hearing/Failure to Pay Rent Complaint (the yellow sheet)
- 10-Day Notice of Intent to File
- 30-Day Notice of Intent to File received from either the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA) or the Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County (HCAAC)
We understand requests for assistance are time-sensitive, especially when eviction is imminent. We do our very best to respond to all emails from tenants at risk of imminent eviction as quickly as possible. At the latest, staff from the Eviction Prevention Program will respond to each email within two business days (excluding weekends). In many instances, response time will be shorter.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Even if a tenant is facing imminent eviction, emergency rental assistance is dependent upon tenant eligibility for the Eviction Prevention Program. Assistance is subject to funding availability, limits on the maximum number of months of assistance allowed by the funding source(s), and any other programmatic limitations on payments.
Funding for payment of past due rent is not guaranteed. All applicants are encouraged to pay their rent, if possible, and to look for other resources while waiting for their application to be processed.
####################################################
IF YOU HAVE READ ALL INFORMATION ABOVE AND ARE READY TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE, YOU MAY CLICK BELOW TO START YOUR APPLICATION.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
####################################################
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACDS EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM
THE EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM GENERALLY DOES NOT PROVIDE PAYMENTS FOR UTILITY BILLS. FOR INFORMATION REGARDING ASSISTANCE WITH PAST DUE UTILITY BILLS, CLICK HERE: https://dhs.maryland.gov/office-of-home-energy-programs/how-do-you-apply/
KEY POLICIES REGARDING ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY’S EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
The Eviction Prevention Program (EPP) provides temporary rental assistance for eligible renters whose household income has been impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Eviction Prevention Program is not a long term rental assistance program. All assistance is subject household eligibility and funding availability.
NOTE TO TENANTS AND LANDLORDS: ACDS does not pay rental arrears for tenants who have already been evicted or who have already vacated their unit. However, tenants may be eligible for relocation assistance if they were evicted or had to move as a result of financial hardship related to the COVID-19 crisis.
LANDLORD-TENANT FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Tenants whose landlord is a family member of any person in the tenant’s household will be eligible for assistance only if: there is a valid written lease between the parties which predates the application for assistance; there is a documented history of rental payments made by the tenant corresponding with documented receipt of payments received by the landlord (bank statements required from both landlord and tenant); and, there is proof that the landlord has operated the rental agreement between the parties as a business, including proof of reporting the rent as income for tax purposes. Additional documentation may be required depending on circumstances.
12 MONTHS’ RENT IS MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE PER HOUSEHOLD: In order to assist as many households as possible, the maximum rental assistance available to each household is a total of twelve (12) months’ rent, including any prospective rent paid on behalf of the household. Subject to the availability of funding and regulatory maximum assistance, additional months of assistance may be provided under exceptional circumstances in order to prevent homelessness.
PROSPECTIVE RENT: Households receiving payment for arrears are not automatically eligible for prospective rent. Prospective rent, if paid, is available only to households with incomes at or below 50% AMI and is generally limited to two (2) month’s rent.
SPECIAL LIMITS ON ASSISTANCE FOR LEASES BEGINNING JULY 1, 2021 OR LATER: If a renter’s lease begins on or after July 1, 2021 and the rent charged is above the Small Area Fair Market Rent for the zip code where the property is located, rental assistance will be limited to payment of three months’ arrears. If the renter owes more than three months’ in arrears, then the renter must pay off the additional amount of arrears owed in order to be eligible for emergency rental assistance. Small Area Fair Market Rent may be found by zip code on the HUD website at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr/fmrs/FY2022_code/2022summary_sa.odn.
If you are a tenant who has submitted an application for assistance, please be patient. We understand this is a stressful time, and we are working hard to get to everyone as quickly as possible.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do You Have a Court Date Related to Past Due Rent or a Notice of Eviction?
Legal Assistance is Available!
Community Legal Services provides FREE LEGAL ADVICE and representation for tenants who have been sued for eviction for rent-related reasons. If you receive the yellow court notice titled “Landlord’s Complaint for Failure to Pay Rent,” contact Community Legal Services. CLS can provide advice and/or representation for you so that you have support through the court process. Para asistencia legal: CLS Info en español.
- If you receive any notices from the sheriff with a date for scheduled eviction, notify ACDS at evictionprevention@acdsinc.org and contact Community Legal Services immediately at (240) 391-6370, ext. 5. You can also complete an online intake for legal services at: https://www.legal-trak.com/CaseManagement/OnlineInTake/OnlineInTake/3?skipPayment=true.
- If you have already applied for rental assistance, make sure all your supporting documents have been submitted so your application can be processed quickly and smoothly.
Para asistencia de ACDS en Espanol por favor llame al 410-222-7600 y selecione la opcion “3”
How the Eviction Prevention Program Works
Eligible Applicants
Rental households must demonstrate that they are:
- Anne Arundel County residents
- At least one member of the household qualified for Unemployment Insurance benefits after March 16, 2020 or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak
- Income at or below 80% AMI as defined HERE
- Do not have enough income, saving, assets or other resources to pay housing costs
- One or more members of household can demonstrate a risk of homelessness or housing instability in the form of a past due utility or rent notice, an eviction notice, unsafe or unhealthy living conditions or other evidence of such risk.
- Holds a lease or sublease of unit
Public Housing, Subsidized Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Residents
Residents residing in subsidized housing, public housing, or receiving a Housing Choice Voucher or other rental subsidy through either the Housing Commission of Anne Arundel County (HCAAC) or Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA) should first contact your management office or HCAAC/HACA agency staff to have your rent payments re-calculated based on current income.
How to Apply
Select one of the below options
- You will be asked to provide information about your household, your household income and how your household income was negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Whenever possible, please provide all documentation requested. However, please do not abandon your application if you do not have a requested document! Your Case Manager may be able to assist you in obtaining the document, or there may be acceptable alternative documentation.
- Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation or assistance in completing the application may contact 410-222-7600 (dial “2”) to leave name, phone number, and email.
Required Documentation
Applicants must provide supporting documentation, including, but not limited to the following:
- Verification of household income (i.e. W-2, pay-stubs and/or tax returns, bank statements)
- Eviction notice or correspondence from landlord indicating the tenant is in arrears and amount owed
- Unpaid utility bill or utility shut-off notice
- Rental/lease agreement or sublease (at minimum front page and signature page)
- Photo identification for all adult members of household
- Evidence of loss of employment or employment income due to COVID-19
Once the Case Manager receives all documentation, they will review to determine eligibility. Please note that payments will be made directly to the landlord or utility company.
Income Limits
Applicants must have income at or below 80% of AMI, as defined by HUD and as indicated below, adjusted for household size. (total 2020 household income or multiply total current monthly household income by 12)
| Household Size | Income Limit |
| 1 | $62,600 |
| 2 | $71,550 |
| 3 | $80,500 |
| 4 | $89,400 |
| 5 | $96,600 |
| 6 | $103,750 |
| 7 | $110,900 |