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 over $80 million in housing assistance to those affected by COVID-19. The programs utilize the federal CARES Act and ARPA funding to provide relief for those tenants unable to pay rent, landlords suffering from a loss of rent payments, and homeowners needing assistance in paying the mortgage.
For Homeowners
In early January 2022, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) will begin reviewing applications from Vermont homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments, utility bills, and property taxes. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) provides a one-time assistance payment of up to $30,000 to cover housing expenses for eligible Vermont homeowners. If applicants are approved, payments will be made directly to the mortgage servicer, town, or other relevant entity. To learn more about HAP, visit their HAP webpage, check out their pre-screening tools, or watch this video on Vermonter’s mortgage assistance options.
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
