Benton County residents in need of rental assistance due to the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for new federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program.
Benton County residents in need of rental assistance due to the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for new federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program.
An applicant must have a household income at 80% or lower than the Area Median Income (AMI, see table 1) Table 1.
FY2021 Income Limits, U.S. Department of Housing & Human Services
Someone in the household has experienced at least one of the following due to COVID-19:
1. Is currently eligible for unemployment benefits
2. Or has experienced a reduction in household income
3. Or has incurred significant costs or financial hardship
Has recently (in the last 60 days) contracted COVID-19 and can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability due to COVID-19.
You will be asked to provide SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (e.g. layoff letter, rent owed statement, eviction notice, unemployment claim, tax documents, pay stubs, etc.)
Over $14MM has been distributed to Benton County residents in need due to the financial burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a look at the numbers and learn more about where these dollars have been distributed.
Hark is a division of Excellerate Foundation, a community Foundation serving Northwest Arkansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Benton County is partnering with Excellerate Foundation in managing the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help eligible households in qualifying areas who have been financially impacted by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Excellerate is utilizing its Hark division to administer the program for Benton County.
An applicant must have a household income at 80% or lower of the Area Median Income (AMI)--roughly $60,000 a year or less for a household of four--as calculated for the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR HUD Metro FMR Area for 2021:
Priority will be given to approved applicants who have been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying or applicants that have a household income at 50% or lower of the AMI.
The applicant or someone in their household must have recently, within the last 60 days, contracted COVID-19. This applies for all ERA applicants, even if you have been approved for ERA assistance in the past. An applicant must also be able to demonstrate that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, someone in the household is eligible for unemployment benefits, has experienced a reduction in household income, has incurred significant costs, or has experienced significant financial hardship. The applicant must also demonstrate that the household is at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Rental assistance is available in the forms of rental arrears (for first time applicants), rent payments currently due, utility arrears (for first time applicants), and utility payments currently due connected to the rental unit.
You may submit a contact form by either at www.harknwa.com/getconnected or by calling 2-1-1. A Hark Community Liaison will then contact you directly to begin the application process.
Supporting documents will be requested at the time of application and will vary depending on the answers provided. Documents may include proof of unemployment benefit eligibility, pay stubs, tax documentation, past due rental or utility notices, eviction letters, proof of a positive COVID test and more. This can be an at home test or test conducted by a medical provider.
Hark and 2-1-1 are community agencies that seek to connect you to multiple resources, not just rental and utility assistance. Your Hark Community Liaison or 2-1-1 call center representative may ask for your basic information, place of residence, current or former employer, household income, and any other areas of need you may be experiencing. Hark and 2-1-1 are here to help, so this process is entirely confidential.
After completing the application process, applicants will be notified by their Hark Client Service Representative if they meet all eligibility requirements and are approved or not approved to receive assistance. You can check the status of your application by visiting https://harknwa.com/ns/erap-status/.
Only one application per residence will be permitted.
Yes, you should have your landlord’s name and phone number or email address at the application stage.
The funds may be paid directly to tenants only if the landlord will not provide a W-9 for payment. We still must receive independent documentation of rent owed, proof of residence, etc.
Please contact Hark directly at [email protected]. Landlords can refer tenants to the process and are also allowed to assist them in completing their applications.
Absolutely. You can still apply if you have been financially impacted by COVID‐19 and cannot pay your upcoming rent.
You are not required to pay back any of this assistance.
The program only assists eligible applicants with housing rental assistance, not commercial rent.
Hark Community Liaisons will be responding on a first-come-first-serve basis with prioritization given to those who have been unemployed for at least 90 days prior to applying or applicants that have a household income at 50% or lower of the AMI. Hark CL’s will contact you as quickly as possible to begin the application process. Once your application is submitted, a Client Service Representative (CSR)will reach out to you about your application within 1-3 business days. You can check the status of your application by visiting https://harknwa.com/ns/erap-status/.
No, this federal program is only for rental units.
Residents of Madison or Washington County should contact Hark to get a comprehensive resource plan and get routed to the correct distribution site in regard to rental assistance.
The program lasts through September 30, 2022, or until funds run out.
If you prefer to fill out a paper application, notify your Hark Community Liaison, and they will mail one directly to you.
If an applicant was impacted by COVID-19 before 1/1/22 and has not already received emergency rental assistance from this program and is eligible, then an applicant may receive rental and/or utility assistance for arrears prior to 1/1/22 not to exceed 12 months. If an applicant was impacted by COVID-19 after 1/1/22, they will be able to receive up to one month of rental and/or utility assistance.
If an applicant has already received assistance and can prove eligibility, then they can apply for assistance. However, assistance will be limited to one month of rent and/or utility assistance.
No, the applicant’s landlord does not have to agree to participate in the program. However, lease documentation, proof of residence, proof of rent due will still be required before application can be approved.
**Hark at Excellerate Foundation | ERA Communications Update**
In partnership with Benton County, our goal has been and will continue to be to distribute Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program dollars as efficiently as possible to residents that need it most in the midst of this pandemic. We will continue to communicate with you as things change or updates are made. Please see below.
Since February 2021, Benton County and Hark at Excellerate Foundation have partnered to distribute nearly $15M in rental assistance to county residents through ERA. As we approach the end of those funds, Benton County has worked hard to acquire additional available funding in order to continue meeting those needs given the recent spike and potential future spikes in COVID cases. While this additional funding has been approved, Benton County administrators expect a brief lag time until those funds are transfered from the U.S. Treasury. Unfortunately, there will likely be delays in the distribution of rental assistance funds until those dollars are received. We expect at least a one week delay in fund distribution.
**Changes are coming January 1st, 2022 to the Benton County Rental Assistance (ERA) program. Please read.**
Throughout the course of the ERA program, Benton County has monitored the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on county residents, revising program policies as needed to ensure that the level of financial assistance available matched the severity of conditions on the ground. As businesses have reopened, mask mandates have expired, and the unemployment rate has stabilized to pre-pandemic levels, Benton County is again making changes to reflect the current environment.
The following ERA policies for Benton County will go into effect on January 1, 2022:
If you have any questions or concerns please email [email protected]
**Hark at Excellerate Foundation | Actualización de comunicaciones de ERA**
En asociación con el condado de Benton, nuestro objetivo ha sido y seguirá siendo distribuir los dólares del programa de asistencia de alquiler (ERA) en la manera más eficiente posible a los residentes que más lo necesitan en medio de esta pandemia. Continuaremos comunicándonos si algo cambia o realizan actualizaciones. Por favor, lea más abajo.
Desde febrero de 2021, el condado de Benton y Hark en Excellerate Foundation se han asociado para distribuir casi $15 millones en asistencia para el alquiler a los residentes del condado a través de ERA. A medida que nos acercamos al final de esos fondos, el condado de Benton ha trabajado arduamente para adquirir fondos adicionales con el propósito de continuar satisfaciendo las necesidades siendo que los casos de COVID han aumentado recientemente y posiblemente van a subir más. Aunque han sido aprobadas las finanzas adicionales, los administradores del condado de Benton esperan un breve tiempo de retraso hasta que esos fondos sean transferidos del Tesoro de los Estados Unidos. Desafortunadamente, es probable que haya retrasos en la distribución hasta que se reciban esos dólares. Esperamos al menos un retraso de una semana en la distribución de fondos.
**Los cambios llegarán el 1 de enero de 2022 al programa de Asistencia de Alquiler del condado de Benton (ERA). Por favor lee:**
A lo largo del programa ERA, el condado de Benton ha monitoreado la pandemia de COVID-19 y su impacto a los residentes del condado,revisando lo necesario de las políticas del programa para garantizar que el nivel de asistencia financiera disponible coincida con la gravedad de las condiciones actual del condado. A medida que las empresas han reabierto, los mandatos de máscaras han vencido y la proporción de desempleo se ha estabilizado a los niveles previos a la pandemia, el condado de Benton está haciendo cambios nuevamente de acuerdo con nuestro estado de hoy en día.
Las siguientes políticas para el condado de Benton comenzarán el 1 de enero, 2022
Si tiene alguna pregunta o preocupación, por favor mándenos un email [email protected]
**Melele ko Rekāāl Tata an Hark at Excellerate Foundation / ERA**
Ilo ad jerbal ibben Benton County, kar kōttōbar eo ad in im enaaj en̄iin wot bwe jen ajeeji jāān ko jen Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program eo ilo ejjelo̗k kalijōklo̗k n̄an ro elap tata aer aikuji ilo ien pandemic in. Jenaaj wōnmaanlo̗k wot ilo ad karon̄ kom ilo an melele im oktak ko rekaal bōk jikier . Jouj im lale ijin ilal.
Jen kar Feruary 2021 eo, Benton County im Hark at Excellerate Foundation eo rekar ibbendoon im kōjerbal ERA n̄an leto letak ekebaak $15 Million n̄an jiban̄ ikijjien jikin jokwe n̄an ro rej jokwe ilo county. Elakkar jino an maat jāān eo, Benton County ekar kate im bar kabbok jāān n̄an kabwe aikuj ko maantak einwot an kar laplo̗k ak maron̄ laplo̗k nan̄inmej in COVID tokelik. Kiō ke emōj kawāāppen jāān in, ritel ro ilo Benton County rej katmāne ke enaaj wor jidik ien kattar an jāān in delo̗n̄tok jen ibben U.S Treasury. Būromōj bwe emaron̄ rumijlo̗k an ajeej jāān in jiban̄ jikin jokwe in mae ien eitok. Jej tōmak emaron̄ rumijlok juōn wiik n̄an leto letak jaan in.
** Enaaj wor oktak ilo January 1, 2022 n̄an Benton County Rental Assistance (ERA) program eo. Jouj im riit.**
Ilo an program in an ERA bōk jikin, Benton County ekar etāle COVID-19 pandemic in im jo̗n̄an an jelet ro ilo county ko, im ukōti kakien ko an program in im rekkar bwe jo̗n̄an jāān eo en bwe n̄an jo̗n̄an jo̗reen ko rej walo̗k. Ilo an business ko bar jino bello̗k, jako kakien ko an mask, im unemployment ediklo̗k jen jinoin COVID, Benton county ej bar kōmman oktak ekkar n̄an ta ko rej walo̗k ibelakkid.
Kakien kein an ERA n̄an Benton County renaaj jino bōk jikier ilo January 1, 2022:
N̄e ewor am kajjitōk ak abnōnō, jouj im email e [email protected]