Your Way Home Emergency Rent & Utility Coalition

URGENT NOTICE: Emergency Rent and Utilities Coalition Closed to New Applications

Attention all residents of Montgomery County, the Emergency Rent and Utilities Coalition has made an important announcement. As of Friday, January 26th, 2024, the Coalition has officially closed to new applications.

As of March 2024, ERUC has provided over $120 million in assistance to 9,650 households.

If you are a renter living in Montgomery County and are having trouble paying your rent or utility bills and are facing eviction or utility shut-off due to COVID-19 or problems caused by the pandemic, you may be eligible for help. 

Do you:

Live in Montgomery County? You must reside in Montgomery County at the time you apply.

Have you:

Been financially hurt by COVID, either directly or indirectly? You must show that COVID-19 has resulted in one or more of the following:

  • Put you or someone else in your household on unemployment benefits.

  • Reduced your household income or significantly increased your household costs.

  • Created another type of financial hardship for your household.

Can you:

Demonstrate a risk of homelessness or housing instability?

Still in need of Financial Assistance? 

Depending on your situation, you may qualify for help with child care, energy bills, phone bills, cash assistance, and housing assistance. Programs worth exploring include: 

HOW TO GET HELP:

Contact us.

If you have previously been served by an ERUC organization, contact that agency directly:

ACLAMO (Se Habla Español) - Closed to new applications
Visit aclamo.org.
Or call 610 277-2570 (Pottstown area) or 610 970-2134 (Norristown area).

Family Services of Montgomery County - Closed to new applications
Visit fsmontco.org.
Email ERUC@fsmontco.org.
Or call 610 630-2111 ext. 235.

Manna on Main Street - Permanently Closed
Visit mannaonmain.org/free-help/getting-help.
Or call 215 855-5454.

Tri-County Area YWCA (Se Habla Español) - Closed to new applications
Visit  https://www.ywcatricountyarea.org/emergency-rent-and-utility-coalition/

CADCOM - Closed to new applications
Visit cadcom.org/pre-screen-form-eruc-cadcom.

Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities - Closed to new applications
Visit pottstowncluster.org/covidrentutilityassistance.
Or call 484 393-5441.

To See How to Qualify and What Documentation to Collect, please read the Montgomery County ERUC Policies

If You Qualify, Collect the following documents:

  • Find a copy of your lease, if you have one. If you don’t, please find some sort of proof of consistent rental payments at that address, such as bank statements or utility bills with your name and rental address on them. A letter from your landlord may also work.

  • Some sort of photo identification.

  • An overdue rent or utility notice, if you have one. This can come from your landlord or a utility service like PECO. (Please note that past-due rent or utilities bills are not a requirement for the program.)

  • Current income documentation for all ADULTS in your household. This includes things like pay stubs, disability income, social security income, unemployment income, child support and alimony — as well as any other source of current, active, consistent income.

  • Proof that you receive or have applied for unemployment benefits, if applicable.

ABOUT US

The objectives of the Your Way Home Emergency Rent and Utility Coalition are to:

  • Raise public and policymaker awareness of the needs of low-income and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families and individuals in Montgomery County who are on the brink of homelessness due to poverty caused by a health crisis, job loss, pay inequality, underemployment and/or systemic racism.

    (For more information about ALICE, visit https://www.uwp.org/alice/about-alice/.)

  • Advocate for more public and private funding for emergency rent and utility programs for both Your Way Home-funded and independently funded service providers.

  • Create a forum for emergency rent and utility service providers and funders to share resources, best practices, lessons learned and innovative solutions.

HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS

If you’ve had trouble making mortgage payments because of a COVID-19 related hardship, visit this page from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for information on how to get help on forbearance.

Additionally, please visit this page from the PA Housing Finance Agency to access the PA Mortgage Assistance Program.