Local Emergency Rental Assistance Program extended through April
The Albany County Commission approved a term extension and additional funding for the program that’s kept tenants in their homes through the pandemic.
Tenants living in Laramie rentals, but struggling to make rent, have more time to apply for emergency assistance.
Commissioners approved a funding extension for Albany County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) on Tuesday — along with a $5000 grant to keep administering services through the extension.
This extension and added funding will keep ERAP going through April 30.
Laramie Interfaith and Family Promise of Albany County opened an ERAP office last year. The office’s staff help connect individuals experiencing pandemic-related hardships with financial assistance, by helping them fill out and submit applications and otherwise navigate the program.
Wyoming has awarded some $24 million to renters and landlords throughout the state. Albany County has awarded more than $1.6 million to renters across 736 applications.
The state has also spent more than $2 million administering the program. That’s where the funding comes for services like the local ERAP office.
The original grant award provided Family Promise of Albany County and Laramie Interfaith with $134,500 to last through the final day of 2021. It was amended originally to extend through March 31 before being amended again Tuesday to last through April.
County Treasurer Tracy Fletcher proposed the two back-to-back items — the time extension and additional funding — at the commission meeting Tuesday. Neither item garnered discussion, but both received unanimous votes of approval by the commissioners. The conditions of the original agreement remain in place.