Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program ("ERAP") provides funding to help qualified renter households pay for housing costs including past due rent and utility bills, and up to 3 months of future rent payments.
Round 3 of Emergency Rental Assistance is not available yet, due to the hundreds of Round 1 and 2 applications that take priority. Please check back on this website for updates and an announcement about Round 3. If you are in critical need of assistance and you have already received Round 1 and 2, please reach out to other community organizations such as the township trustees office and also discuss payment arrangements with your landlord. If you are in need of legal representation for eviction, please reach out to (260) 424-9155 for free legal assistance.
Program Goal
Assist eligible households that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in maintaining stable housing through rent and utility assistance
Eligible Applicants (must meet all of the following requirements)
- Tenants at risk of homelessness due to financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Tenants with a household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)
- Tenants located within Fort Wayne city limits
Ineligible Applicants
- Tenants with household incomes over 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI)
- Tenants who have not experienced loss of employment or income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Applicants whose rental unit is not located within Fort Wayne city limits
Eligible Assistance
- Rent: past due rent and up to 3 months of ongoing rental payments. Total of past due rent and future rent payments not to exceed 12 months. In limited cases up to 15 months of assistance may be approved.
- Utilities: Past due utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer, trash removal and other energy costs, such as fuel oil) not to exceed 12 months. In limited cases up to 15 months of assistance may be approved.
How to Apply for Assistance
- Applicants who need in-person assistance with the application process can contact the following partners:
- Brightpoint at 1-800-589-3506
- Catholic Charities at 260-422-5625 ext. 247
- Lutheran Social Services at 260-426-3347
- General email inquiries may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
2021 Area Median Income Limits
Program Documents
Emergency Rental Assistance Application
Zero Income Self Attestation Form
Formulario de Auto-Atestacion de Cero Ingresos