Ads by Google Ads by Google

DOC ready to implement $17.9 million in Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Dept. of Commerce logo
Source: Department of Commerce

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  American Samoa had been awarded up to $17.9 million in Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program funds from the US Department of Treasury.

Approximately $9.6 million in ERA1 funds were made available under the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 and $8.3 million in ERA2 under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The ASG Department of Commerce is the administering agency for this new federal funding assistance. ERA funds will assist households that are unable to pay rent and/or utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rental households and individuals deemed eligible under ERA must meet the following requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Treasury:

•           One or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak;

•           One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and,

•           The household has a total income at or below 80% of the area median income.

Applications will be available to eligible applicants through an online portal on November 1st, 2021.

A schedule of community workshops will be announced soon for both landlords and tenants who wish to receive ERA assistance. These community workshops are mandatory and will be conducted within this month for all who wish to apply.

For more details, please contact ERAP Coordinator Ms. Tapuitea McMullin at the Department of Commerce, 633-5155