New applications to be reviewed, processed subject to availability of funds

More than 75,000 Kansans and 10,000 housing and service providers have received more than $250 million in rental and utility assistance, preventing thousands of evictions and providing vital services to more than 30,000 families at risk of losing their homes. A year and a half after the temporary initiative launched, the program is winding down and will close soon.

KERA has now received enough applications to exhaust all funds and has entered the Hold Phase. All applications and recertifications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available.

The closure process follows three phases. Here’s what this means for Kansas renters in need of assistance:

1. Final Funding Phase: On Oct. 7, 2022, households were encouraged to apply or reapply for final assistance as soon as possible. The program has now received enough applications to exhaust all current funds, ending Final Funding phase. Applications submitted during Final Funding phase will still be reviewed and processed, subject to availability of funds.
2. Hold Phase: Now that the program has received enough applications to fully expend all KERA funds, applications and recertifications submitted during Hold Phase will be placed on hold status and will not be reviewed or processed unless sufficient program funds are available.
3. Closure Phase: When all program funds are exhausted the program will close and will stop accepting new applications.

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program, established in March 2021 with federal pandemic relief funds, provides up to 18 months of rent and utility assistance for households experiencing financial hardship. Rental assistance is paid directly to housing and service providers, helping landlords cover their operating costs and keep up with essential maintenance and repairs, stimulating the local economy.

Prior to the KERA program, KHRC administered the Kansas Eviction Prevention Program (KEPP), a federal CARES-Act funded initiative to provide rental assistance to Kansans who had fallen behind on rent payments due to the pandemic. KEPP provided more than $17 million to more than 10,000 Kansas households, serving 21,642 Kansas renters and more than 4,000 housing providers.

The Kansas Homeowner Assistance Fund remains open and is currently accepting applications. KHRC’s ongoing housing programs will continue to serve Kansans beyond the closure of the KERA program.

For more information and to apply for KERA, visit kshousingcorp.org/emergency-rental-assistance.

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The KERA program is administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), a self-supporting, nonprofit, public corporation committed to helping Kansans access the safe, affordable housing they need and the dignity they deserve. KHRC serves as the state’s housing finance agency, administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans.