Yakima County
Rental Assistance Program for Landlords

Yes. This program will cover past due or unpaid rent and utility costs incurred after March 13, 2020. Reasonable late fees occurring after December 31, 2021 may be paid with the funds. 

Yes. Landlords and utility providers with multiple renters or customers that are eligible for E-RAP funding may receive multiple payments from the program.

Households must meet all four of the initial screening criteria to be eligible for rental assistance:

• Someone in the household has qualified for unemployment or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• You have current housing instability or risk of housing instability, and are currently in arrears with your rent.
• Your household income is at or below 80% of the Area Median Income – Refer to the table below for Income Limit.

• Your household resides within Yakima County – Click Here for a map of Yakima County neighborhoods.

* We prioritize assistance to households with income that does not exceed 50 percent of the area median income for the household, or where one or more individuals within the household are unemployed as of the date of the application for assistance and have not been employed for the 90-day period preceding such date.

Yes. A landlord may apply on the renter’s behalf, and communication will be sent to the tenant informing them of the application. The renter must then complete the application for it to be considered for approval and payment.

Yes. Households that receive a monthly federal subsidy, where their rent is adjusted according to changes in income, are eligible to apply for assistance through the program. However, aid will only be provided for the amount not covered by other programs.

Federal law requires that E-RAP payments not be duplicative of any other federally funded rental assistance provided to an eligible household. Therefore, E-RAP funds may not be applied to costs that have been or will be, reimbursed under other federal programs.

Yes. This program does not require the applicant to document nationality or immigration status. You do not need to be a US citizen to apply for this program.

Yes. Costs related to obtaining or keeping safe housing will be considered on a case-by-case basis when an E-RAP application is reviewed. To be eligible for other other expenses the tenant must be in rental arrears.

Depending on the circumstances, eligible costs include:

• Reasonable late fees
• Renters insurance is required in the lease
• Utility disconnection and reconnection fees
• Internet service if you or a member of your household needs the Internet for:
  • Homeschooling/distance learning
  • Telework
  • Job search
  • Telehealth visits

Yes. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), rental payments and utility payments you receive from E-RAP funding, whether from a customer or a Distributing Entity on the customer’s behalf, are included in your gross income.

Federal law requires that T-RAP payments be made directly to landlords and utility companies on the renter’s behalf. Therefore, the renter will only receive the payment directly if the landlord or utility service provider refuses to accept payment on behalf of the renter.

T-RAP case reviewers are required to attempt to contact the applicant’s landlords and/or utility providers during the application process. Regardless of who receives payment, both the applicant and the landlord or utility service provider will receive documentation of the payment.

Some rental assistance funding programs do not allow for direct tenant pay and require that the landlord participate

No.

• Share information about the Yakima County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program with your renter(s)
  
  
• Ensure that you and your renter(s) have access to the necessary documentation, such as a copy of the lease agreement and notices showing the amount of rent or utilities due
  
  
• Assist your renter(s) with collecting the required documentation
  
  
• Provide renters with your email address to facilitate communication and expedite the application process.