Emergency Rent Assistance

What is the Emergency Rental Assistance/Eviction Prevention Program (ERA)? 

This program offers assistance to renter households in Saint Paul that face a pending eviction due to unforeseen circumstances when other services or funds are unavailable. Funding for eligible households is limited to a one-time payment of up to $2,500 for late rent and associated fees paid directly to landlords.

Process

1. Review Program Eligibility

• Leased residence is within Saint Paul city limits and has an active lease
  • The ERA program cannot assist with living situations such as emergency shelter, or where households do not reside in one place for more than 30 days.
  • Am I within City Limits?
    • Locate your address on either the Saint Paul Property Search or the Certificate of Occupancy Map to determine if property is located within City limits
• Recently experienced an unforeseen event resulting in an eviction notice
• 14-day notice of intent to evict (Notice to Quit), or Housing Court Summons
• Meet an income restriction of 80% Area Median Income (AMI) or less*
• No member of the household has received funding from this program in the last 12 months. Upon approval, tenants will receive a letter of guarantee that they will not be evicted from their unit by their landlord for missed rent that ERA funds will cover. 

*Households must earn 80% of AMI or less in accordance with the Minneapolis – St. Paul – Bloomington, MN – WI HUD Metro Fair Market Rent Area as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.

2. Tenant Completes an Application

• There are two ways to apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance/Eviction Prevention Program:
  • Apply online here
  • Paper application, found here, can be submitted via email to StPaulERA@stpaul.gov or contact staff to schedule a time to drop your application off at 651-266-6671.
• Please see the Guide for Applying to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program for more information about applying. You may also reach out to program staff at StPaulERA@stpaul.gov or 651-266-6671.
• When applying, additional documentation will be requested and can be uploaded in the application portal or included with your paper application. This includes:
  • Evidence of a pending eviction
    • 14-day notice of intent to evict (Notice to Quit), or
    • Housing Court Summons
  • Income verification
    • Applicants are required to submit one type of income verification from the chart below. The same category must be used for all income-earners in the household.

3. Landlord Completes an Application & Vendor Setup

• Once a tenant submits an application, their landlord will be notified using the contact information provided by the tenant. The landlord will be prompted to complete an application. This part is required before staff can proceed with review.
• The landlord application is specific to each tenant. If a landlord has multiple households applying for the program, a separate landlord application is required for each household.
• The landlord will receive a link to create a vendor page for PaymentWorks, the City of Saint Paul’s secure payment platform. Details on the program and support will be.

4. Confirm Eligibility

• Once applications are submitted by both the tenant and landlord, staff members can help talk to landlords as requested.
• Staff members will review the tenant and landlord applications within three (3) working days of all necessary materials submitted. Review is based on the eligibility criteria outlined above (also in the program guidelines linked under program materials).

5. Decision 

• If a tenant is eligible for assistance, they will receive an approval letter. Staff will send a letter of guarantee to the landlord with the tenant included in the communications.
• If a tenant is not eligible for assistance, they will receive a denial letter with details on alternative resources to explore. 

6. Payment 

• If approved, staff will pay the landlord directly using the banking information provided by the landlord when they set up their PaymentWorks vendor profile. The goal is for funding to be distributed to landlords within 1 week of receiving a complete, eligible application.

Required Income Documents

Applicants need to submit documents for one category. Start with category 1.

Language Access and Reasonable Accommodation Policy

All application and marketing, electronic interface, and print materials will be translated into English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong, and in some cases, Karen and Oromo. Intake and navigation services are also available in these languages. 

Applicants needing additional language assistance can request accommodations by contacting City staff.

Translated Materials

Legal Notices

• Hmong
• Karen
• Somali
• Spanish

Flyer

Additional Resources

• City of Saint Paul Fair Housing
• State of Minnesota Emergency Assistance
• Ramsey County Emergency Assistance