Assistance Available as Eviction Moratorium Ends

The NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program assists eligible residents who cannot pay their rent and utilities due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The state’s five Community Action Partnership agencies accept and process applications for assistance. Applications can be submitted at CAPNH.org. Financial assistance for renters impacted by COVID-19 is expected to be available through at least 2022.

NHERAP assistance may cover: Past-due and future rent payments; utilities, such as electricity, home heating costs, water, sewer, trash; and housing-related costs such as internet and relocation expenses associated directly or indirectly with COVID-19. Relocation expenses including rental application fees, utility hook-up fees, and security deposits also are eligible. The assistance payments are made directly to the property owner or utility provider on behalf of the applicant household.  

For eligibility details and to apply, visit CAPNH.org or call 2-1-1.

If you need assistance with an eviction: Contact 603 Legal Aid, which provides free civil legal services to low-income people. Note that Governor Sununu signed Senate Bill 126, which bars eviction for nonpayment of rent if tenants have paid or have qualified for rental assistance.

The NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program is a federally funded rental assistance program through the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR). It is administered by New Hampshire Housing, in collaboration with GOFERR and the Community Action Partnership agencies.  www.nhhfa.org/emergency-rental-assistance

The NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program is for renters and landlords, not homeowners. The federal Homeowner Assistance Fund Program (HAF), which will provide assistance to homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, will be launched later this year. If you are at risk of foreclosure or are having difficulty paying your home mortgage, utilities, home insurance or property taxes, please call 2-1-1. This is a free service offered by Granite United Way.  

Editor's note: Although the federal moratorium ended, a temporary measure may protect people in NH's largests counties. Acccording to a report by NH Public Radio, just a few days after its original eviction ban lapsed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a ban on evictions in counties with substantial or high levels of COVID-19 transmission. As of right now, that includes Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford Counties — though other counties could be included if the pandemic surges in the future.  Read more an NHPR.org