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Rental and/or Utility Direct Assistance

El Paso community members can now apply for rental and/or utility assistance based on eligibility.

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*Utility assistance is only available for households that live within El Paso County but outside city limits. 


For general questions or assistance, please contact us at (915) 400-7401. Due to a high volume of applications, it may take up to 4-8 weeks for us to review applications for eligibility. We will continue to process applications until all funding is allocated and payments are distributed, but please note that funds may not be available by the time a household applies.

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If you have issues you would like to voice, please visit our Grievances Page​ to submit your concern.

 

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Common Questions​

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Are all households eligible for the rental and utilities assistance program?

This program has specific eligibility requirements and not all households will be eligible

Is there a particular order or priority in which applications are processed?

Due to high application volume, households with income at or below 50% Area Media Income (AMI), unemployed (90 days prior to date of application), and sued for eviction, have the highest priority for applications being reviewed.

When will my application be processed if I am not deemed high priority?

After all priority applications have been processed, we will proceed with reviewing and processing all other applications. All non-priority applications will be reviewed and processed on a first-come first-served basis until all funds are committed. 

How long will funding be available for the rental and utilities assistance program?

Funds may not be available by the time a household applies. We will continue to process applications until all funding is allocated and payments are distributed.

Tenant Assistance

1) Determine your Eligibility 

  • Tenants that reside within El Paso City limits

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  • Experiencing housing instability (rental and/or utility arrears).
     

  • Households have been directly/indirectly impacted by financial hardship during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
     

  • Household income below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). See chart below.
     

  • Provide supporting documentation as requested per program guidelines.
     

  • Submit one application per household.

AMI El Paso 2022.png

2) Documentation Checklist

Identification

Supporting documents include:

  • Driver's license or state ID, passport, school ID, nonprofit membership ID, US Visa, work permit, green card, a current or expired foreign government issued ID or passport, matricula consular, work ID, Office of Refugee Resettlement ID
     

Other forms of photo ID may be considered.

Proof of Residence at Rental Property

Supporting documents include:

  • Current lease with the name of applicant and address of rental location and include monthly rent amount, any other provisional costs as applicable (i.e. water, etc.), signed by applicant and landlord. If utilities are charged separately and are required to avoid eviction, a statement supporting the utility charges requested must be attached to the lease agreement.


If the applicant is not able to provide a copy of the current lease, then one of the following documents must be provided:

  • Current photo ID with the address of the rental unit, current utility bill (water, gas, cell phone, internet, or other utility provider to applicant at rental unit address, mail from government office, financial institution, or utility provider to applicant at the rental unit address.

Proof of Household Income

Supporting documents include:

  • Award letter for Social Security, SSI, TANF, SNAP or Medicaid that shows your income

    • Award or approval letter for any of the public benefits programs listed above must have name on it and must be dated on or after January 1, 2020.​

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OR one of the below:

  • 2020 tax return listing all adult household members

  • 2020 W-2(s) for every job held by each adult household member

  • 2020 1099(s) for every job held by each adult household member

  • Unemployment compensation statement

  • Pay stubs for the 30 days prior to application date, with name of beneficiary and address of rental unit

  • Stipend(s), alimony, pension/retirement/annuity monthly award letter(s)

  • Letter from employer verifying monthly salary/wages

  • SSI or SSDI statement of benefits, with name of beneficiary and address of rental unit

  • Certification of Zero Income

    If none of the above is available, applicant can declare (self-attestation) their household’s income.

Confirmation of Economic Hardship During the Pandemic

Any of the following will be accepted and should be included:

  • Unemployment statement dated on or after March 1, 2020.

  • Letter from an employer indicating termination of employment, furlough, or a reduction in work hours dated on or after March 1, 2020.

  • Loss of business income, if self-employed or own your own business

  • Two different pay stubs showing a reduction in work hours or income over time

  • Notice of business closure (letter or closure from employer, closure announcement in a newspaper or online publication, etc.)

    If none of the above is available, the applicant can provide a reason via self-attestation

Eviction

Supporting documents include:

  • Eviction Letter

  • Notice of Eviction

3) Application Steps

01.

Create an account profile. (email address required)

02.

Complete the Pre-Eligibility Screening Information.

03.

Have primary applicant and occupant contact information available.

04.

Complete household income information and have supporting documentation available.

05.

Complete rental and/or utility assistance information (monthly lease amount, arrears amount requesting) and include supporting documentation.

06.

Include all supporting documentation required to support rental and/or utility assistance application.

For general questions or assistance, please contact us at (915) 400-7401. For technical assistance, please contact (915) 245-4885. Due to a high volume of applications, it may take up to 4-8 weeks for us to review applications for eligibility. We will continue to process applications until all funding is allocated and payments are distributed, but please note that funds may not be available by the time a household applies.

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If you have issues you would like to voice, please visit our Grievances Page​ to submit your concern.

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