Governor Phil Scott, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA), and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) announced $30 million in housing assistance to those affected by COVID-19. The programs utilize federal CARES Act funding to provide relief for those tenants unable to pay rent, landlords suffering from a loss of rent payments, and those lower income homeowners needing assistance in paying the mortgage.
For Landlords/Owners
On May 3, 2021, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) began accepting applications from Vermont homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded through the Federal CARES Act, the Vermont COVID Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program was first available in July through December 2020. This latest round of program funding provides grants for up to 12 months of past-due mortgage and property tax payments for eligible Vermont homeowners. Homeowners with a mortgage originated no later than March 2020 and who have missed at least one payment since that date are eligible (other requirements apply). If applicants are approved, payments will be made directly to the mortgage servicer or to the town, if property taxes are past due and are not escrowed with the mortgage. A separate rental assistance program is available through the Vermont State Housing Authority at erap.vsha.org. For mortgage assistance, visit www.vhfa.org/map or call (888) 714-2260 to learn more and apply.
For Tenants and Landlords
Beginning Monday, April 5, 2021, the Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program (VERAP), administered by the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA), is accepting applications from tenants and landlords. You can find the application portal under the “Programs” tab on the Vermont State Housing Authority website (www.vsha.org), or by navigating directly to erap.vsha.org.
Renters, click on the yellow “Renters Apply Here” button to start the application process.
Landlords, click on the “Landlord Information” tab and scroll down to find the yellow button that reads “Click to Access Landlord/Owner Portal”.
Please note that applicants will now be asked to create an account before answering eligibility questions. As with the previous rental assistance program, payments will be made directly to landlords on the tenant’s behalf, and applicants must continue to pay rent if possible.
Important: After some users have reported errors in accessing the VERAP portals, the website is undergoing changes to better serve all renters and landlords. This process is not affecting users who have successfully completed/started applications, and will not affect the creation of new applications, as the errors reported by other users may not apply to everyone. Please visit the VERAP website for more information: erap.vsha.org.
Call VSHA’s program hotline to get help with the application process: 833-488-3727
