The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley announced a new partnership this week with Carbon County to manage the distribution of Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds. The initiative, which started Tuesday, aims to support local renters struggling to maintain stable housing.

According to Marci Lesko, chief executive officer of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, the program is critical in addressing the ongoing financial strain many residents face.

“The data tells us that up to 46% of all households in Carbon County continue to struggle to make ends meet, and 34% can’t afford basic needs such as food and stable housing,” she said. “We remain committed to helping people access the critical resources they need today while working to develop the long-term solutions that will ultimately build a stronger community.”

Housing instability in Carbon County remains a critical issue, with the gap between wages and rental costs widening, according to Cathy Lamm, executive director of Family Promise of Carbon County.

“Our families are staying with us longer,” Lamm said, attributing this trend to the insufficient affordable housing options in the area. She noted that while homeless families were once prioritized on the voucher list, this is no longer the case, further exacerbating the issue.

“The properties that are out there do not match wages in the area,” she said, adding that the requirement for wages to be three times the rent is particularly burdensome. “If the rent is like, say, $1,500 a month ... you do the math.”

This mismatch between income and rent is evident in the statistics.

According to a 2024 National Low Income Housing Coalition report, the average fair market rent price for a two-bedroom unit is $1,426 in Carbon County. In order for someone to afford that rent, the report continues, his or her average hourly wage would need to be $27.42. The estimated hourly mean renter wage in Carbon County for 2024, however, is only $14.03, the report states.

The U.S. Housing Data website puts the median rent for a studio apartment in Carbon County at $1,049 and a one-bedroom at $1,227.

Lamm confirmed that this figure aligns with what she is seeing, noting that the trend has remained consistently high with no signs of improvement.

“I have a waitlist of over 100,” she said, while Family Promise can only accommodate eight families at a time. “Before, families managed to get in and out of our program within 90 days,” Lamm said, “but now they are extending past 100 days.”

The ERAP provides financial assistance for rent, utility arrears, and other housing-related expenses to individuals and families affected by the pandemic. Eligible households must have experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic, be at risk of homelessness, and have incomes below 80% of the Area Median Income.

“We are proud to partner with Carbon County to ensure that housing support reaches those in need as efficiently and effectively as possible. Our goal is to make sure families can quickly access the assistance they deserve, securing stable homes and a brighter future,” said Gina Nichols, director of family stability at United Way.

Applications can be submitted online via the United Way’s website at unitedwayglv.org/carbon-erap. In-person assistance will be available by late September by calling 2-1-1 for those needing help with the application process.

The partnership between Carbon and United Way was officially made in May after county officials determined they had just over $1 million remaining from the ERAP-2 payments the county received through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

At that time, Eloise Ahner, county administrator, said that the United Way was picking up where Catholic Charities, the former administer of the Carbon ERAP program, left off.

The ERAP program begin in 2021 as a way to help families and individuals affected by the pandemic that were now at risk of losing their homes due to lack of income. At that time, Carbon County received $4.22 million for the program.

In September 2021, the county was awarded a second round of funding in the amount of $1.337 million in ERAP-2 payments to be used for the program.

Approximately 220 applicants had been approved for rental help during the first rounds.