The rent’s still due: A guide to getting rent relief before evictions begin again in Allegheny County

by Chris Hippensteel, PublicSource

While evictions remain restricted, you may still want to apply for rent relief if you’ve fallen behind.

Here’s a breakdown of the relief available in Allegheny County and how you can apply.

Can my landlord evict me if I’m unable to pay rent this month?

At the moment, your landlord generally can’t evict you if you’ve been economically harmed by the pandemic and you have applied for aid. That’s thanks to a new eviction moratorium issued on Aug. 3.

That moratorium, which was enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] and lasts until Oct. 3, covers all counties that exhibit substantial or high transmission of COVID-19. Right now, that includes Allegheny County and a large swath of Southwestern Pennsylvania. (You can find the CDC’s updated transmission map here). 

The CDC’s decision continues a series of curbs on evictions — some enacted nationally, others on the state or local level — that began in March 2020. It came just days after a nationwide federal eviction moratorium expired on July 31. Like the previous moratorium, it’s aimed at preventing evictions from worsening the spread of COVID-19. 

In addition to the CDC’s new moratorium, Allegheny County President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark has requested the state Supreme Court to maintain the halt on evictions through the end of October. This would afford the county more time to distribute rent relief to those who have requested it.  

It’s important to note that all evictions must go through a court process, and your landlord alone can’t order your eviction.

Am I qualified for rental assistance?

Under the county’s Emergency Rental Assistance program, you’re eligible to apply for relief if you rent your home and are living in a household that:

 

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The rent’s still due: A guide to getting rent relief before evictions begin again in Allegheny County

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