Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launches new Rental Assistance Finder Tool

Key Takeaways

On July 28, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a new tool that helps renters and landlords find rental assistance programs in their area. The new Rental Assistance Finder tool is part of the federal government’s effort to make sure tenants and landlords take advantage of the historic funding available under the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program to help cover rent, utilities and other housing costs and keep people in their homes. The benefits of the Rental Assistance Finder tool are even more critical to supporting county residents now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction moratorium has expired.

The ERA program provides direct funding to states and eligible units of local government to assist families struggling to make rental and utility payments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Counties that have populations above 200,000 residents are eligible to receive direct ERA payments and those under the population threshold may receive a suballocation from their state.

The program was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which provided $25 billion for the first round of the program, known as ERA1. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 provided $21.6 billion for an additional round of the program, known as ERA2, including $2.5 billion in targeted assistance to help the highest need areas.

As counties continue to work to ensure the success of the ERA at the local level, CFPB’s new Rental Assistance Finder will help counties connect residents with the vital housing support available to them. NACo encourages counties to make use of this new resource and promote it to renters, landlords and others in need of help to maximize the potential benefits of the ERA program.

Additional Resources

• NACo Blog: Treasury releases updated FAQs on federal Emergency Rental Assistance program
• NACo Blog: Treasury issues addendum to Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) reporting guidance
• NACo Webinar: Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: Understanding ERA1 and ERA2