The City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) have announced a second phase of rental assistance for tenants affected by COVID-19. PHDC will begin accepting applications on Monday, July 6.

The first phase of rental assistance was able to assist more than 4,000 tenants. However, nearly 13,000 tenants applied to the program. Phase 2 will allow about 6,300 more renters to get help.

Funding for the program comes from the federal CARES Act. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is distributing funds to each county in the state. Philadelphia’s share is $28.45 million. 

Phase 2 will serve tenants with a higher pre-COVID income: up to $87,000 for a family of three. Here’s the new criteria:

• Applicants must be Philadelphia residents (renters in other counties must apply to their county’s designated organization);
• Landlords and renters must each provide information;
• Renters must have lost more than 30% of their income due to reduced work hours/wages because of COVID-19, or have become unemployed after March 1 due to COVID-19;
• Renters who applied for PA unemployment assistance must have done so after March 1;
• Renters’ income before March 1 must be no more than 100% of the area median income, or $87,000 for a family of three (the income limit for Phase 1 was 50% of AMI);
• Assistance is limited to $750 per tenant per month and $4,500 over 6 months

Any tenant in need, including applicants in Phase 1 who did not receive help, must apply in Phase 2.

Payments will be made to landlords who must agree to the terms of the program and may not displace the household or begin eviction proceedings for at least 60 days from the final month of rental assistance.

For more information and to apply (starting July 6), go to: https://phlrentassist.org/.