Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The City of Salem is partnering with the North Shore Community Action Programs, Inc. (NSCAP) to provide much needed relief to Salem residents at risk of losing their rental housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants that meet the program guidelines listed below are eligible to apply for Emergency Rental Assistance. Qualifying families will be eligible to receive up to $500 per household for two months (maximum $1,000). All payments made on behalf of the applicant will be paid directly to the landlord. Under no circumstance will the payment be made directly to the household. Funds will be in the form of a grant that does not have to be repaid by the applicant. Rental Assistance will be available on a rolling basis until the funds are depleted. There could be additional rounds depending on need and available funding sources. Applicants may apply for and receive assistance for more than one round upon recertification that the household still meets the eligibility requirements. We are all in this together. In order to maximize public resources, applicants must demonstrate that there has been an effort made to ask landlords to contribute by offering rent reductions. For questions about the program and or questions about the application, please contact NSCAP at (978) 548-5776 or funds2020@nscap.org. Program Guidelines: To qualify for this financial assistance, you must: • be a Salem resident; • have requested a rent reduction from the landlord; • have a demonstrated gap between household income prior to Covid-19 and now; • have a current rent that exceeds 30% of your current household income; • have a gross household income that is 50% area median income or less In the provision of our services, the City of Salem does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender or gender identity, age, religion, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, ancestry, public assistance, veteran history/military status, genetic information or disability. Application Submittal: Complete this webform and upload all applicable documents. Be sure to click the checkbox at the end of the application to have a copy for your records.

Landlord's Contact Information

*Landlord MUST participate in this program. If this is left blank, the application is incomplete and will not be considered.

Household Information

If there are more than four people in your household, list the remaining names, date of birth, and occupations on a separate sheet of paper. Please upload that list with the rest of the required files in the area below.

Are any members of your household receiving unemployment benefits?

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Have any members of your household been furloughed or laid off due to COVID-19?

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Have any members of your household had their hours reduced by more than 50% due to COVID-19?

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Emergency Rental Assistance Application Checklist

Applications and all supporting documents must be attached and provided to NSCAP via this form. A checklist of submittal documents is provided below. NSCAP may request additional information, if necessary, to make a determination of eligibility. 1. Completed Application Form (you do not need to upload anything for this if you are filling out this webform) 2. Identification – Identification for all household members (valid Massachusetts ID or passport; birth certificates are acceptable for children). 3. First page of lease showing names of tenant and landlord and rent amount, and last page of lease showing signatures. If no lease, attach a letter of email from landlord attesting to tenancy and monthly rent. 4. A letter or email from tenant to landlord requesting a rent reduction due to COVID-19 related income loss. Documentation of Emergent Need: 1. Evidence of reduced income: a. A layoff or furlough letter for each household member who lost income due to COVID; OR: b. At least 2 paystubs, one from before and one after COVID crisis, for each household member who lost income due to COVID, showing decline in pay over the period, OR: c. An Unemployment Insurance statement. d. If none of the these are available, bank statements showing a decline in deposits from before and after COVID, along with an explanation of income source will be considered. (An Odd-Jobs Form where such income can be documented is available by request at NSCAP: 978-531-067, ext. 309 or email funds2020@gmail.com). 2. Verification of Income a. One most recent paystub for all additional employed household members over the age of 18, even if they did not lose income. b. Documentation of any other income sources (unemployment, alimony, pension/retirement, etc.). c. Most recent bank statements for the bank accounts of all household members over the age of 18. d. Documentation of other relief sources for which the household has applied and is awaiting response. Rental assistance payments to qualified applicants will be made directly to landlords. A W-9 form must be completed by the landlord for payment to be made. Landlords will also be asked to provide a de-leading certification for all units built prior to 1978; this certification is preferred but is not required for participation in the program.

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