The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act included funding for states to establish emergency rental assistance programs. Pennsylvania and its counties received approximately $1.3 billion total from both laws to administer assistance to renters affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic insecurity. This funding program can be used to pay past due or upcoming rent and utilities; and can assist with rehousing costs for eligible applicants who need to find a new home to rent.
Governor Wolf signed PA Act 1 of 2021 into law on February 5, 2021, which officially designated the Department of Human Services (DHS) as the agency overseeing administration of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), referred to as ERAP1. On June 30, 2021, Governor Wolf signed PA Act 24 of 2021 into law, allowing DHS to implement and administer the expanded program, commonly referred to as ERAP2.
ERAP1 was implemented on March 8, 2021 and ended on September 30, 2022. ERAP2 is currently taking applications. Pennsylvanians can apply online through COMPASS. Some counties are not using the COMPASS application. If your county is not using COMPASS, you will be automatically directed to your local ERAP agency contact.
- State Heat Map displays monthly application data at the county level and ranks the counties by the number of applications received per month:
- Users can view individual county data by hovering their mouse over a particular county to view data points such as: County Name, it's rank by applications received, and the number of applications received, pending, approved, and denied for the selected month.
- To view only the data points of a particular county, the user can click a particular county which will display only it's data points in the blue Key Point Indicator (KPI) boxes along the top, as well as the bar chart to the right. To exit the county data points and return to statewide data points, click anywhere in the shaded grey area of the state map.
- Bar Chart displays the total number of applications broken down by application phase and ERAP Type:
- Users can view ERAP data for an application phase by hovering their mouse over a colored stack to view data points such as: ERAP Type and Number of Applications.
- To view the counties that align with a particular ERAP Type and Application Phase, the user can click the desired colored stack and the respective counties will highlight on the State heatmap. The blue KPI boxes along the top will update as well. Users can select a different colored stack to view another ERAP Type and Application Phase, or to return to statewide data points click anywhere in the white area of the bar chart.
- Users can also view the application data of both charts per ERAP Type and Month by using the filters on the right-hand side of the dashboard.
*Data caveats
- Federal spending data for February of 2021 is not included
- ERAP 2 data began in April of 2021, as it did not yet exist prior
- Spend data represents funds paid at time of reporting and does not include obligated funding
- Data reported by month per County is self-reported, and DHS continuously works with counties to clarify and amend data as needed
- Federal reporting is a month behind State reporting
- State Heat Map displays funding level data at the county level and ranks the counties by amount spent:
- Users can view individual county data by hovering their mouse over a particular county to view data points such as: County Name, it's rank by amount spent, Allocated Funds (broken down by percent (%) spent for Federal and State), Total Spent (broken down by % spent for Federal and State, Remaining Funds (broken down by % spent for Federal and State), and Percent of Funding Utilized.
- To view only the data points of a particular county, the user can click a particular county which will display only it's data points in the blue Key Point Indicator (KPI) boxes along the top, as well as the bar chart to the right. To exit the county data points and return to statewide data points, click anywhere in the shaded grey area of the state map.
- Bar Chart displays the ERAP Type dollar amount broken down by spent and remaining funds:
- Users can view allocation data for an ERAP Type by hovering their mouse over a colored stack to view data points such as, ERAP Type and Allocation.
- To view the counties that align with a particular ERAP Type and Allocation, the user can click the desired colored stack and the respective counties will highlight on the State heatmap. The blue KPI boxes along the top will update as well. Users can select a different colored stack to view another ERAP Type and Allocation, or to return to statewide data points click anywhere in the white area of the bar chart.
- Users can also view the allocation data of both charts per ERAP Type and Funding Source by using the filters on the right-hand side of the dashboard.
*Data caveats
- Federal spending data for February of 2021 is not included
- ERAP 2 data began in April of 2021, as it did not yet exist prior
- Spend data represents funds paid at time of reporting and does not include obligated funding
- Data reported by month per County is self-reported, and DHS continuously works with counties to clarify and amend data as needed
- Federal reporting is a month behind State reporting
- Top Bar Chart displays the total spent on households receiving assistance each month:
- Users can view the monthly data points by hovering their mouse over each colored section of the bar chart to view data points such as ERAP Type, Month, and Total Funds Spent.
- Users can also view amounts spent on Pennsylvania households per Funding Source Type or County by using the filters on the right-hand side of the dashboard.
- Bottom Bar Chart displays the total households receiving assistance each month:
- Users can view the monthly data points by hovering their mouse over each colored section of the bar char to view data points such as ERAP Type, Month, and Total Households Served.
- Users can also view the total Pennsylvania households served per County by using the filter on the right-hand side of the dashboard.
*Data caveats
- Federal spending data for February of 2021 is not included
- ERAP 2 data began in April of 2021, as it did not yet exist prior
- Data reported by month per County is self-reported, and DHS continuously works with counties to clarify and amend data as needed
- Spend data represents funds paid at time of reporting and does not include obligated funding
- Federal reporting is a month behind State reporting
- The Funding Source Type filter will only impact the “Total Spent on Households” KPI and stacked bar chart, as the funds spent between Federal, and State cannot be traced back to a respective household