Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance

The first step renters should take if they are concerned about paying their rent or facing eviction is to contact their on-site manager or lease agent by phone or email right away to let them know if you may need rental assistance or a payment plan for your next monthly rental payment. Early communication with residents and managers allows for more time to respond and explore all options. Community Legal Services provides tips for tenants affected by COVID-19 and sample forms in both English and Spanish on their website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How can I apply for assistance?
A. Beginning Monday, March 30, 2020, an online application will be available here: COVID-19 Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance.
Q. I do not have a computer on which to apply, can I apply by telephone?
A. If you are unable to apply online, call the toll free 211 line for assistance in completing your application during regular business hours Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

1. Dial 211
2. Press 6 for COVID-19
3. Pick a language, press 1 or 2
4. Press 5 for Eviction Prevention
Q. What supporting documentation will I need to provide when submitting the application for Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance?
A. The following supporting documentation is required to be submitted electronically.

1. Photo ID (Driver's License or State Issued ID)
2. Copy of your current lease/rental agreement
3. Documentation proving COVID-19 related financial hardship (See FAQ #4 for examples)
4. Other (if requested by your assigned Community Action Agency)

Applications or reapplications cannot be submitted to the system without the required supporting documentation listed above. If you are unable to provide any of the above documentation and would like to explain any unique circumstances or possibly request a waiver, please upload a short letter under “Other” describing your situation or why you are unable to provide the information so the housing counselor has the information needed to process your application.
Q. What supporting documentation can be used to prove COVID-19 related financial hardship and why is this needed?
A. This program is intended for residents who are unable to pay their rent because they are experiencing a COVID-19 related financial hardship. This documentation is proof that you, the applicant, are experiencing this hardship and are unable to fulfill your obligation to pay rent. If you are seeking multiple months of assistance, you may be asked to provide documentation to prove that your hardship is ongoing.

Examples of hardship documentation include, but are not limited to:

If you are no longer employed, you may upload one of the following:

a. Termination Letter from your former employer
b. Proof of your Unemployment Benefits application submittal
c. Self-Certification of your loss of work, if you do not possess any third-party verification

If you are still working, but have experienced a reduction in income, you may upload one of the following:

a. Employer Letter stating change in hours, wage reduction or Notice of Furlough
b. Paystubs from enough pay cycles to substantiate a reduction in income
c. Self-Certification of reduction of income, if you do not possess any third-party verification

Note: Self-Certifications may be in the form of an uploaded letter, signed by you, describing the situation.

Q. What if I don't have access to a scanner or fax machine in order to submit the required documentation?
A. You may upload documents using a smartphone by taking a picture of the document and uploading the picture into the application system. All of the information on the picture must be legible. While it is recommended that you scan or fax your documents, photos that are clear and easily readable will be accepted.

Some Staples locations may offer complimentary faxing and scanning services for COVID-19 related issues. Inform the front desk assistance station staff or manager that you are applying for a state assisted program and ask if their location offers complimentary faxing and scanning services.
Q. What can I do while I wait to hear from the Community Action Agency?
A. Log into your application and check to make sure the documents you uploaded satisfy the assistance eligibility requirements (see FAQ #3). If you discover something is missing, upload it as soon as possible and then wait to hear from your assigned Community Action Agency (CAA). Ensuring you’ve uploaded the required documents will help move your application along. It is also recommended that you check your email inbox frequently, including the spam folder, to make sure you are seeing, and responding to, any communications that may have been sent by your assigned Community Action Agency handling your application, as well as email blasts from the Arizona Department of Housing. Applicants have the ability to log in to the system at any time to check on the status of their application.
Q What do these status explanations mean?
A. The following are application status and explanation:

1. Ineligible – a final decision has been made. The applicant does not meet the program eligibility criteria. If you would like to reapply for assistance, see FAQ #13.
2. Incomplete - a final decision has been made. The application was rejected due to missing information or documentation. If you would like to reapply for assistance, see FAQ #13.
3. Draft – the case has not been submitted and the applicant is still in control of the case.
4. Counselor Review/Quality Check – the case has been submitted and the assigned Community Action Agency is in control of the case.
5. Approved & Eligible – the case has been determined eligible for assistance by the assigned Community Action Agency.
6. Approved & Closed – the rental assistance has been approved and sent to the landlord or property owner.
Q. When should I expect to hear from the Community Action Agency serving my area?
A. It may take 90 – 120 days for your assigned Community Action Agency to process your application. Eligible applicants will be assisted as long as funds are available. Once the available funds are exhausted no additional assistance will be provided.
Q. Where can I find documentation that proves I have submitted a complete application for rental assistance?
A. Log into the application portal as a Returning User and print or take a picture/screenshot of the Status page that shows the date you submitted your application, your name, the status of your application and the Community Action Agency that your case is assigned to. Application statuses marked Counselor Review and or Quality Check proves that you have a complete pending request for rental assistance. A listing of all application statuses and explanations can be found in FAQ #7.
Q. Who may be contacting me about my application?
A. The Community Action Agency will contact each applicant as they review their application to seek clarifications and request missing information. It is imperative that once applicants receive a communication from their assigned Community Action Agency that they respond as soon as possible. Community Action Agencies will generally provide a 72-hour window for applicants to provide information missing from their applications. Arizona Department of Housing call center staff may also be in contact with you if you have an incomplete application to request you provide additional information or ask you if you still need rental assistance.
Q. How do I know if my application was submitted and is in line for review?
A. If you believe you may have submitted your application but are unsure, you can return to the system to review the status of your application. From the Arizona Department of Housing's home page, click on Returning Applicant Login, you will then be prompted for the username and password you set up when you first began your application. If, when you sign in, it states that the application is in draft form, your application has not been submitted. If the status shows "Counselor Review" your application has been submitted for review. Once an application is submitted you should receive a message stating it has been submitted.
Q. If I was instructed to fax in my documents. How do I know they were recieved?
A. Staff will upload your faxed documents into the application system on your behalf. To confirm your documents have been received, log in to the application system as a returning user, click on the Documents link and then look for the wording: If you have access to a scanner, you can also upload the files by clicking here. Click on the "here" link which will display the documents below. You can look for your faxed documents in the section marked “other”. We recommend you wait 48 hours to allow time for your documents to be uploaded for you.
Q. If I was determined to be ineligible for assistance or my application was determined to be incomplete due to missing documentation, can I reapply?
A. Yes. A change in circumstance or documentation may result in a change in your eligibility. In order to generate a subsequent request for assistance, you will need to reapply through your existing application. To reapply, simply log back into the system as a Returning User into your application marked "Ineligible" or “Incomplete” and provide new information or satisfy any deficiencies in your previous request and complete the process to reapply. Once the subsequent request is submitted you will see a message stating it has been submitted as of that date and your application will be put in line again for further consideration.
Q. If I have already received rental assistance, how do I apply again?
A. If you received rental assistance through this program once and you need to request assistance again, you may do so once your initial application is marked "Approved and Closed" and 30 days has passed from the initial application submission. To apply for additional assistance, log back into the system as a Returning User into your “Approved and Closed” application to complete the process. Once the additional request is submitted you will see a message stating it has been submitted as of that date.
Q. How do I request more than one month of assistance?
A. You do not need to request additional months of assistance on a submitted application. At the time your application is reviewed, you may be considered for additional assistance for each month past due (e.g. if you applied in July, but are past due for July and August, then you may be eligible for assistance for both months). The Community Action Agency may request you provide additional documentation for any month for which rent is being considered. Rent that is due within 15 days of the date of application review may also be considered.
Q. Who is eligible for Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance?
A. Arizona renter households who have suffered at least a 10% loss of income resulting from COVID-19, including job loss, reduction in compensated hours of work, or other loss of income related to COVID-19, and do not have financial resources to cover their rent may be eligible to receive assistance with rent due on a primary residence in Arizona. Eligibility is restricted to applicants with income levels at 100 percent of the area median income adjusted for household size (see chart here) and varies by county.
Q. If a renter has been evicted and removed from the unit, are they eligible for assistance with this program?
A. No. The COVID-19 Rental Eviction Prevention Assistance Program does not include post eviction assistance. If an eviction has already occurred and the renter has been removed from the unit, they would no longer be eligible to receive consideration for rental assistance.
Q. Am I guaranteed assistance once I apply?
A. No. Applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Eligible applicants who have provided all required documentation will be assisted as long as funds are available.
Q. My rent is due by the 1st of the month, can assistance be provided to my landlord that fast?
A. Once an application is determined eligible, rental assistance will be provided directly to the landlord or property owner to whom it is due as soon as possible. Landlords and property owners should generally expect to receive the rent payment from the program sometime during the month it is due, but depending on the date of application, length of time until receipt of funds will vary.
Q. I applied to the Arizona Department of Housing for assistance. Why am I being contacted by a Community Action Agency to discuss my application?
A. The Community Action Agencies are contracted with the Arizona Department of Housing to deliver this program.
Q. Based on the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-14 and 2020-49, can I just postpone or not pay rent until October 31?
A. No. According to Executive Order 2020-49 an eviction action order (the execution of a writ of restitution) may be delayed due to specific incidences of financial hardship related to COVID-19. In order to be eligible under this Order, a tenant must provide proof of their completed application for rental assistance, request a payment plan with their landlord or property owners, and provide documentation proving the reason for their financial hardship. This Executive Order does not relieve any renter of their obligation to pay rent. Renters should do everything they can to pay their rent on time so that they are not past due.
Q. Do I have to tell my landlord I am applying for assistance?
A. Yes, renters should communicate their inability to pay any or all of their rent to their landlord as soon as they know that to be the case. It is in a renter’s best interest to let their landlord know as soon as possible their situation and that they are applying for assistance. Once an application has been submitted the renter will be provided with a letter they can provide to their landlord that verifies an application has been submitted.
Q. Can an application for assistance be completed using a smartphone?
A. While technically it could, it is recommended that the application be completed using a desktop or laptop computer due to the need to upload a number of supporting documents in the online application.