Wyoming Emergency Rental Assistance Ends on June 30

Another pandemic program is ending, as the Wyoming Department of Family Services announces that payments to help Wyomingites cover their rent and housing will stop this summer, if not sooner.

The Wyoming Department of Family Services will distribute the final rental and utility assistance payments from Wyoming’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) throughout June. And the payments may end sooner if the money allocated to Wyoming runs out before the June 30 deadline.

Households will continue to receive payments if they are eligible and approved and funding is available. However, absolutely no payments will be made to cover rent, utilities, and housing stability services after June 30.

“We are proud that this temporary program helped keep thousands of Wyoming households housed during these difficult times, and we are very grateful for the valuable support by our community-based partners in every county,” said Korin Schmidt, director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services. “We are now focused on closing the program responsibly and fairly, giving several months’ notice for households to adjust their finances accordingly and landlords to work with their renters.”

Wyoming launched its emergency relief program in April 2021 and has helped 16,949 Wyoming households with a total of $87 million in assistance.

Congress created the temporary federal relief program to provide emergency funds for state and local governments to keep their residents housed during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Treasury Department recently awarded Wyoming $23.6 million, the state’s final allocation from the federal ERA2.

At current spending rates and with the recent award, state officials anticipate program funding will continue through June 30 – when the program closes. In addition, housing stability service programs offered by local organizations also end in June.

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If households have questions about their extension application status or what months they can apply for funding, please contact the ERAP call center, which is open 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The toll-free number is 1-877-WYO-ERAP (1-877-996-3727).