5/7/2024
Overview of the Kentucky ERA2 Partnership Program (KyERA2-PP)

Background

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allocated Emergency Rental Assistance program (ERA2) funds to the Commonwealth of Kentucky via the U.S. Treasury. Under the Kentucky ERA2 Partnership Program (KyERA2-PP), Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) has sub-granted ERA funds to nonprofit partners to provide financial assistance and housing stability services to eligible renter households to ensure they become or remain stably housed.
KyERA2-PP agencies must use this portal to document household eligibility and report on assistance provided on a client-by-client basis. Client records should be regularly updated to reflect services provided and expenses incurred.
Basic KyERA2-PP information is listed below. Questions may be submitted to KyERA2PP@kyhousing.org.

Kentucky ERA2 Partnership Program Basics

Eligible Households

To be eligible for KyERA2-PP assistance, a household must be obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling and

  1. household has experienced some type of economic hardship during or due to the coronavirus pandemic:
    • one or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income,
    • incurred significant costs, or
    • experienced some other financial hardship.
  2. one or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; AND
  3. the household’s income is at or below 80% of Area Median Income for their county.Click here for Annual Income Limits. Click here for Monthly Income Limits.
  4. The household has not yet received 18 months of rental assistance (18 x contract rent) from the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund (HHERF). Households are capped at 18 months of financial assistance across all ERA1 and ERA2-funded programs.
Eligible Activities

ERA2 subgrantees should refer to their KHC grant agreement and program manual to determine which eligible activities their grant can support.

ASSISTANCE FOR TENANTS
  1. Rent Assistance
    • Past due rent on current unit to prevent eviction.
    • Past due rent from prior unit that prevents leasing of new unit.
    • Short-term rental assistance payments (up to 3 months) for households at risk of homelessness or awaiting approval of a housing voucher.
    • Medium-term rental assistance (up to 18 months) for households with expiring, time-restricted housing assistance, such as ESG RRH, CoC RRH, HOME TBRA, or HOPWA TBRA after original subsidy period ends.
  2. Rehousing Assistance (for Displaced/Homeless Households Only)
    • Hotel/motel vouchers for households temporarily or permanently displaced from a residence who do not have a permanent residence elsewhere and need short term emergency housing before occupying a new unit.
    • Application fees for new housing.
    • Security deposits for new housing.
    • Landlord incentives to accept a subsidized housing voucher, such as a Housing Choice Voucher, Continuum of Care (CoC) Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) or Rapid Re-Housing (RRH), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) RRH, HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), HOPWA TBRA, or KyERA2-PP medium-term assistance.
    • Up to $750 for moving expenses for households occupying a new unit.
    • Identification fees, such as those needed to obtain a new state ID, Social Security Card, or birth certificate.
    • Up to $800 to acquire furniture and household items for households exiting homelessness for a subsidized housing unit.
  3. Utility Assistance
    • Utility Deposits
    • Past due utility payments that prohibit establishment of service at a new unit or will lead to eviction from current unit
    • Current and future utility assistance in three-month blocks for tenants in subsidized housing units where a utility allowance is not provided, such as KyERA2-PP medium-term assistance.
HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES
  1. Housing Stability Case Management services for households receiving Emergency Housing Vouchers, Housing Choice Vouchers, HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, or short- and medium-term KyERA2-PP rental assistance.
  2. Legal Assistance related to housing stability.
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
  • Organizations receiving ERA2 subgrants from KHC may utilize a limited amount of funds for administrative costs, as defined in their grant agreement. Administrative costs are NOT reported in this portal. Instead, they are documented in KHC’s Project Draw Management System.