Throughout the rollback of the Emergency Rental Assistance program (ERA) over the past year, many residents of Utah lost access to funding that helped support their housing situation. However, if you are struggling to pay rent, options are still available. Today, emergency rental assistance in Utah comes in a few different forms.

Utah Community Action

For renters in Utah, Utah Community Action offers some of the simplest paths to financial assistance. Those who are unable to pay their rents or begin a lease due to unexpected financial hardship can apply for assistance in making such payments.

Perspective applicants can expect to fill out an online application that will be reviewed by a Community Action team member. Someone will respond within a few business days with any corrections that may need to be made to your application. After any necessary edits have been completed, and you have been proven to qualify for assistance, Community Action will help you schedule a phone appointment with a case manager who will ensure that you will be receiving the appropriate amount of financial assistance.

HEAT Utility Assistance

Sometimes, a renter’s need goes beyond paying for their rent alone. In this case, renters in Salt Lake City and Tooele Counties can turn to HEAT Utility Assistance. This program is intended to help local residents pay for their essential utilities, including gas and electricity.

In order to qualify for HEAT assistance, residents must prove that they make under 150% of the federal poverty level. Precedence for approval is given to the elderly, disabled, and families with children under the age of six.

Additional Rental Assistance in Salt Lake City

For renters residing within the Salt Lake City area, more rental assistance resources are available.

The Salt Lake City Council has compiled a list of partners that can provide legal assistance and representation to those facing eviction or homelessness. Different partners may be more available to you based on your current legal status, Veteran status, and other situational factors.

Salt Lake City also hosts Renter Resource fairs throughout the year to help immediately connect renters with essential support systems. The Salt Lake City Council’s main webpage is often updated with the most current information regarding resource fairs and tablets.

Salt Lake City Housing Stability Division

In addition to their other programs, Salt Lake City has its own Housing Stability Division. This group centers around preventing homelessness in Salt Lake City and connecting residents with various resources to help keep them in stable housing. Their webpage offers a number of materials regarding renting in the city, as well as information regarding other housing stability programs.

On top of this, the Housing Stability Division offers guidance on accessing a range of other initiatives available to Salt Lake City residents, such as substance abuse recovery.

Federal Renter Assistance

While there are plenty of programs within the state of Utah that can help support renters, it is important not to forget the federal initiatives that aim towards the same goal.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

If your family is in need of financial assistance in order to remain housed, you may qualify for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. This initiative was created to help families with minor children sustain stable living conditions and support children towards future success. To find out if your family qualifies for TANF and see where your nearest access point is, you can check out U.S. Department of Human and Health Service’s interactive map.

USDA Housing Assistance

For some, home ownership is the ultimate goal for themselves and their families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes that achieving that goal in rural areas can be difficult.

If you are working towards home ownership in rural areas of Utah, you may be eligible to receive financial support from the USDA Housing Assistance program. These funds are intended to help permanently house residents and families in rural parts of the country. With several different grant and loan programs currently running, be sure to explore all available options to determine which may be right for you.

No matter where you live in Utah, you deserve to feel confident in your housing situation. If you find yourself falling behind on rental payments, emergency rental assistance in Utah is available. For more information about rental support resources, check out our Rental Assistance Overview.