City of Spokane
Rental Assistance Program
Program Overview
The City of Spokane and its partners are running a rental assistance program to address the hardship faced by our community. This emergency rental assistance program is intended for those who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Funds are available for past due, current due, future rent and utilities. In this webpage we will share with you information about the application process, provide FAQs for tenants and landlords, and share simple resources that simplify this process.
NEED SUPPORT?
If you need help with this online application, please email us at FORWARD-support@forwardplatform.com or call us at 1-855-582-3973.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application due to a disability, please contact a local partner from the list below for assistance.
General Timeline
THE APPLICATION PORTAL is closed.
NOTICE: The Rental Assistance Portal will close on February 22nd, 2023 at 5 pm PST.
Notice: Due to extremely high application volume, there is no guarantee of funding. Applications are reviewed until funding is exhausted.
Eligibility Requirements
Households must meet all the initial screening criteria to be eligible for rental assistance:
Currently have a missed/past due rent payment not paid or partially unpaid since March 1, 2020, and still occupying the residence.
Your household income is at or below 80%* of the Area Median Income – Click Here for an Area Median Income calculator.
* The City of Spokane prioritizes assistance to households with income that does not exceed 50 percent of the area median income for the household, households with active eviction cases, elderly and/or disable applicants as well as referrals from the local DRC for households involved in the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program (ERPP).
Your household resides within the Spokane City limits – Click Here for a map of Spokane neighborhoods.
Required Documents
The following documents will be used to verify your eligibility will be required:
Which can include paystubs, W-2s or other wage statements, 2021 tax filings, or bank statements demonstrating regular income.
Proof of a current lease, or documentation of residence showing evidence that establishes a pattern of paying rent.
Proof of past due rent or utility notice, or eviction notice.
You can store documents in your profile so that you can easily find them to include in your applications. These file formats are supported: .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .xls, and .xlsx
Please note that if you don’t have these documents, you might still qualify for assistance. Get in touch with us so that we may assist you with the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
After submitting your application, it will move through the following five steps:
- Application Review
- Tenant Outreach – someone will contact you if more information is needed.
- Eligibility Determination – if you meet the eligibility criteria, your application moves to the next step. If not, you will receive a written denial which you can appeal.
- Landlord Outreach
- Payment Processing
If you would like to check on the status of your application, please login to your FORWARD account and click the “My Applications” tab to see your status.
Logistics and Application
Households who rent their home/apartment meet four criteria for City of Spokane ERAP assistance.
- One or more individuals within the household are obligated to pay rent or have past due rent on a residence located in the City of Spokane.
- Total household income is equals or less than eighty percent (80%) of the area median income (AMI).
- Currently have a missed/past due rent payment not paid or partially unpaid since March 1, 2020, and still occupying the residence.
You meet the income eligibility requirements if your total household income is equal to or less than 80% of the area median income (AMI). Your AMI depends on how many people live in your household; see the table here.
No. United States citizenship is NOT an eligibility requirement of this program.
You must be 18 Years or older to apply. Or you are legally emancipated if under 18 years of age.
Households with missed or partially paid rent can receive rent and/or utility assistance from March 1, 2020. Funding for the program comes from a variety of funding sources, some limit rental payments to 15 or 18 months.
No. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Emergency Rental Assistance is to help eligible households that require financial assistance to pay for rent, utilities, and other related expenses. Rental and utility payments ONLY count as gross income for your landlord or utility provider.
ERAP payments will be made directly to landlords and service providers. The information provided in your application will be used to contact your landlord or utility provider(s). You will receive documentation of all payments made to your landlord or utility provider(s) on your behalf.
They can include electricity, gas, water/sewer, trash removal, energy costs, such as fuel, oil, or wood for heating. The Internet is considered an utility for this program.
Phone and TV bills are NOT included in the program.
ERAP 2.0 does not allow for “other housing costs”; however, it does consider the following unique situations eligible as a RA expense: Rental situations may include leased rental units, renting from friend/family, hotel/motel arrangements, mooring/slip fees, and RV/mobile home lot rent. There is no minimum term for the tenancy.
Yes. Households that receive a monthly federal subsidy are eligible to apply for assistance. However, assistance will only be provided for the amount not covered by other programs.
Yes, we can assist with maximum rent payment amount up to 150% Fair Market Rent (FMR) and must not be more than the total rent due amount.
| Final FY 2022 FMR By Unit Bedrooms | |
|---|---|
| Number of Bedroom(s) | Rent Cost |
| Efficiency | $701 |
| 1-bedroom | $795 |
| 2-bedrooms | $1,033 |
| 3-bedrooms | $1,467 |
| 4-bedrooms | $1,745 |
FORWARD Online Application Tutorials
FORWARD Online Application Tutorials
Need Help? Reach Out to Our Community Partners
The City of Spokane works with other community resources to help you navigate these difficult times. Each community organization serves City of Spokane residents to meet additional needs and to connect residents with resources in addition to rental assistance.
[Main Office]
(509) 484-9829
[Immigration Legal Services]
(509) 381-0832
Fax: (509) 462-7279
1522 N. Washington St., Suite 101
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 558-9359
1502 N Monroe Street
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 209-7329
35 W Main Avenue, Suite 230
Spokane WA 99201
(206) 723-0500
5425 Rainier Avenue S Ste. B
Seattle, WA 98118
(509) 838-2799
1212 N Washington, Ste 206 Rock Pointe One
Spokane, WA. 99201
(509) 487-1603
4001 N. Cook St. Spokane WA 99207
FORWARD is administering the Rental Assistance Program on behalf of the City of Spokane.
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