Renters in Sheridan County may be eligible for housing stability assistance through Wyoming’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), with the online application officially opening at 8 a.m. on Thursday, April 29. The ERAP pays landlords and utility companies on behalf of Wyoming residents who are unable to pay rent, internet and/or utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ERAP is open to Wyoming renters that meet income eligibility requirements and are struggling to pay rent, internet and/or utility payments because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households can obtain assistance for unpaid current and future rent, internet and/or utility payments.
Applications to receive assistance through the federal program, facilitated by the Wyoming’s Department of Family Services (DFS), will be available online at https://dfs.wyo.gov/erap. The application is available online only, but Sheridan County residents can receive assistance over the phone or in-person if needed (more information below).
Program Basics
For Renters:
There are four criteria to be eligible for emergency rental assistance:
- You rent your home in Wyoming or have unpaid rent on a previous Wyoming residence.
- Your household income is equal to or less than 80% of area median income.
- You can show financial loss due to COVID-19.
- You are at risk of experiencing housing instability or homelessness.
Renters will be asked to provide documentation to demonstrate each of these criteria in the online application and should gather documents before starting. Details on eligibility, required documentation and how to apply are available on DFS’s ERAP website: https://dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
For Landlords:
- Please share ERAP information with your tenants, as they may be eligible.
- Please help your tenants gather the necessary documentation. For example, renters will be asked for a copy of their lease agreement during the application process.
- If your tenant applies for rent payment assistance, you will need to enroll as a vendor with the State of Wyoming to receive payment.
More information for landlords, including the process to enroll as a vendor, is available at https://dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
Application Assistance
Renters and landlords can receive application assistance in the following ways:
- Online: Step-by-step guides are posted on https://dfs.wyo.gov/erap.
- By phone: Call 1-8777-WYO-ERAP for over the phone assistance.
- In-person: Sheridan County residents can set an appointment to receive one-on-one assistance with their application. Contact Jennifer Graves at jgraves@sheridancounty.com or 307-210-9066 to schedule an appointment.
