Carbon County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program is in full swing.

On Wednesday, Megan Astacio, the housing stability coordinator for the program, updated the Carbon County Collaborative on the applications the United Way has received for the program. United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley partnered with the county last year to pickup the program to help families by using money the state government earmarked for rental assistance several years ago. Prior to this, the ERAP program was overseen by Catholic Charities.

Astacio said that the United Way has received 438 applications for the rental program, bringing the program approximately halfway through the funds that are available.

She added that right now, applicants should expect a wait time of six to eight weeks for their application to be processed and a determination made.

Rosemarie Lister, the collaborative chair, said that she has heard how the ERAP funds have been assisting a number of families, especially in the Panther Valley School District.

Other collaborative members agreed, saying that they are grateful that United Way picked up the program for Carbon because it has really helped a lot of families.

Lister offered to provide any information through St. Luke’s as part of its community health to connect school districts and Career Link to the program.

“We want those funds to be spent by March,” Lister said.

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein commended the United Way for their help.

“It’s well over a million dollars that we would have lost if it wouldn’t have been for United Way stepping up to the plate,” he said. “That is so important to our partnership and to the families that need it.”

The ERAP program began in 2021 as a way to help families and individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that were at risk of losing their home 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.

At that time, approximately 220 applicants had been approved for rental help.

The ERAP program can assist renters with up to 18 months of rental arrears and utility payments if they meet the eligibility guidelines.

For more information on the ERAP program, including eligibility guidelines and to apply, visit https://www.unitedwayglv.org/carbon-erap.