A number of local nonprofit organizations have come together to launch the Hawaiʻi County Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).
ERAP is funded by the County of Hawaiʻi through federal funding and will provide rent and utility grants to households that can prove financial hardship due to COVID‐19 for each month they receive assistance from March 2020 to December 2021.
Program applications will be available starting Monday, April 12th, at 8 am.
Funding will be limited to households’ primary residence on Hawaiʻi Island. Households will be limited to 12 months of total grant assistance. The Hawaiʻi County ERAP will be led by local nonprofit community development financial institution, Hawaiʻi Community Lending. Six Hawaiʻi Island‐based nonprofit partners will process applications and payments will be made directly to landlords, property managers, or utility providers. Approved applicants will also have access to financial counseling and other housing stability services.
ERAP nonprofit partners include:
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi (HOPE)
Hawaiʻi First Federal Credit Union (HFFCU)
Neighborhood Place of Puna (NPP)
Habitat for Humanity Hawaiʻi Island (HFHHI)
The Salvation Army (TSA)
Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC)
“We are honored to be able to provide relief to our local families by alleviating some of the financial pressures caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic,” said Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth in a press release. Roth continued, “with the help of local nonprofit organizations, we will keep the roofs over the heads of 3,400 households, and that, to me, is something pretty special. Through continued partnerships and the community’s support, we can and will thrive through this pandemic – together!”
To qualify for rent or utility assistance grants applicants must meet the following qualifications:
Be a Hawai’i Island resident
At least 18 years old
Lost income due to COVID‐19, and
2020 or current annual gross household income at or below 80% of area median income for the number of members in their household. ERAP will give priority households at or below 50% of area median income with household members who have been unemployed for 90 days preceding the date of the application.
Applicants will be required to submit the following documents with their applications to be considered for rent or utility assistance:
Copy of photo ID Income Documents for ALL household members (provide all that apply)
30 days most recent pay stubs
2 months most recent business bank statements (if self‐employed)
Unemployment or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefit letter
Public benefit statements Housing
Copy of rental lease/contract Proof of Hardship (provide 1 of the following)
30 days of pay stubs for February 2020
Unemployment or PUA approval letter
Letter from employer verifying job loss or reduced work hours
Business bank statements for January and February 2020 (if self‐employed) Housing Assistance Need (provide 1 of the following)
Past due rent notice
Eviction notice
Past due utility notice
The public can contact For more information or to apply, contact one of the ERAP nonprofit partners listed above.
Interested candidates can apply by contacting the following ERAP partners via web or phone:
www.hopeserviceshawaii.org – (808) 935-3050
www.neighborhoodplace.org – (808)965-5550
www.habitathawaiiisland.org – (808)-843-0071
hawaii.salvationarmy.org – (808) 935-1277
www.hceoc.net – (808)-932-2714
www.hawaiifirstfcu.com – (808) 933-6600
