HOPE Program Benefits
Rent Assistance
The HOPE Program pays rental assistance based on what you owe your landlord. All awards are determined based on what is owed and are capped at 130% of the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom unit in your county. You can find the fair market rent for your county using the online HUD Fair Market Rent Documentation System.
Eligible applicants may receive up to 15 months of rent assistance, which may include up to 12 months of past-due rent. Rent assistance provided during the first phase of the HOPE Program counts towards the 12 months of past-due rent assistance that an applicant can receive.
The program also pays three months of future rent at a time, with 15 months being the maximum amount of assistance the program can provide in total.
Rent assistance is paid to the landlord on behalf of the eligible applicant. Landlords that accept this phase of HOPE funds agree to not evict the applicant for non-payment of rent during the period of assistance and for at least 60 days after that period ends.
Utility Assistance
Utility assistance is available to applicants that apply and qualify for rent assistance.
Utility assistance is paid to a utility provider on behalf of an applicant for up to three months of past-due utilities. Utility assistance is based on what you owe your utility provider and is capped at the amounts shown below.
- Electricity: Up to $1,020
- Natural gas, propane or heating oil: Up to $270
- Water: Up to $210
- Wastewater: Up to $240
Utility bill assistance will be paid directly to the utility provider on behalf of the applicant.