Yes, emergency rental assistance programs are still active in 2025 and 2026, but not in the way they were earlier in the decade. The federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs that distributed billions of dollars during the pandemic have largely wound down—the ERA2 program officially ended its period of performance on September 30, 2025. However, this does not mean rental help has disappeared. State and local governments have stepped in with their own emergency funds, and programs are actively accepting applications right now, though often with tighter budgets and stricter eligibility requirements than the federal programs offered. The shift happened because the Treasury Department’s era of direct rental assistance funding concluded.
From 2021 through September 2025, the federal government distributed over $46 billion across two waves of Emergency Rental Assistance—ERA1 and ERA2 combined. These programs funded more than 10 million individual rental assistance payments. That massive intervention is over. But cities and counties that recognized the housing crisis didn’t stop providing help; they simply retooled their approach and began funding emergency rental assistance through local and state budgets instead. If you’re facing rent trouble in 2025 or early 2026, the programs that can help you do still exist. You just need to know where to look for them and understand that they’re now fragmented by location rather than centralized at the federal level.
Table of Contents
- What Happened to the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Programs?
- Why Federal Funding Ended While Local Programs Continue
- State and Local Programs Currently Operating in 2026
- How to Find Emergency Rental Assistance in Your Area
- Why Many Programs Are No Longer Accepting Applications
- Federal ERA2 Final Reporting and What It Means for Applicants
- Real Programs Still Operating: Los Angeles County and Hennepin County Examples
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Happened to the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Programs?
The Emergency Rental Assistance programs were temporary relief mechanisms designed to prevent mass evictions during the pandemic and its economic aftermath. ERA1, launched in 2021, provided $25 billion. ERA2, which followed, distributed an additional $21.55 billion. Treasury grantees—typically state housing finance agencies and large local government departments—received these funds and distributed them directly to tenants and landlords to cover past-due rent, utilities, and other housing stability services.
On September 30, 2025, the period of performance for ERA2 ended. this is the official language used by the Treasury Department, and it means grantees can no longer provide new financial assistance from those federal ERA funds. The final reports from all ERA grantees are due to Treasury by January 28, 2026, which is a hard deadline. After that date, any remaining unobligated federal ERA money will be returned or redistributed by the federal government—but it will not be available for new applicants in the traditional ERA program structure. This is not a surprise; these funds were always meant to be time-limited, and the deadline was known well in advance.
Why Federal Funding Ended While Local Programs Continue
The federal ERA funding ended because Congress did not appropriate additional money beyond the two waves already distributed. Unlike ongoing programs such as housing vouchers or public housing maintenance (which receive annual appropriations), ERA was designed as emergency, time-limited relief. Once $46 billion was spent and the period of performance elapsed, the program structure itself closed. However, the end of federal ERA funding does not mean the end of rental assistance. It means the funding source changed. States and counties that were running ERA programs—and that saw the real harm evictions cause to their communities—moved to fund rental assistance through their own budgets.
This happened in many places because housing stability remains a local priority even after federal money is gone. Los Angeles County, for example, launched a new Emergency Rent Relief Program in December 2025, offering over $23 million to residents struggling with rent. That’s county money, not federal ERA money, but it serves the exact same purpose: keeping people housed. The limitation of this approach is that local budgets are smaller and more constrained than the federal Treasury. Programs that were once open to anyone meeting basic income thresholds now often have narrower eligibility rules, smaller payment amounts, and shorter application windows. The generosity of the peak ERA years—when some programs could cover 18 months of back rent—is largely over.
State and Local Programs Currently Operating in 2026
Hennepin County, Minnesota allocated $9.6 million in its 2026 budget specifically for emergency rent assistance. According to the county, this funding is projected to prevent more than 2,500 evictions in the year ahead. That’s a concrete local commitment: a county government saying “we will use tax revenue to keep 2,500 families housed.” The program operates through a local administrative structure, not through the federal Treasury. Los Angeles County’s Emergency Rent Relief Program represents another active option. Launched in December 2025, it offers assistance to residents experiencing financial hardship or impacted by the 2025 wildfires in the region. The application deadline is January 23, 2026, at 4:59 PM PST, and over $23 million is available.
The application is online, and awards are processed relatively quickly because the county has streamlined the process based on years of ERA administration. New York State presents a mixed situation. The state’s ERAP Portal—the centralized application system for New York’s emergency rental assistance—closed on November 17, 2025. However, state agencies continue to manage rental assistance through other mechanisms and programs. What this means for a renter in Buffalo or the Bronx is that they cannot apply through the old portal, but they may still be eligible for assistance through state programs, local nonprofits, or emergency funds. The state structure is less transparent than a single portal, which means finding the right program requires more footwork.
How to Find Emergency Rental Assistance in Your Area
The most direct way to locate emergency rental assistance in your specific location is to call 2-1-1, a free helpline operated across the United States. When you call 2-1-1, you reach a trained specialist who can tell you which programs are operating in your area, whether you likely qualify, and how to apply. This is not a hotline run by a for-profit company; it’s a genuine government and nonprofit resource. The specialists have access to databases of local programs and can often provide referrals to other services if rental assistance alone won’t solve your housing situation. You can also search online using 211.org, a database maintained by the United Way that aggregates information about local assistance programs.
Enter your zip code and search for “emergency rent assistance” or “rental assistance,” and the site will return programs near you along with eligibility requirements and contact information. Unlike a search engine, 211.org is curated specifically for social services, which means fewer dead links and more current information. A third option is the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Rental Assistance Database, which was specifically built to track Emergency Rental Assistance programs still operating. The limitation here is that the database was designed during the federal ERA era, so not every new local program appears in it immediately. However, it’s still a useful resource for checking whether programs in your state are ongoing or whether they’ve exhausted their funding. Many programs that were listed in the NLIHC database have since closed due to depletion of funds, which is why calling 2-1-1 remains the most reliable single step: a live person can tell you the current status.
Why Many Programs Are No Longer Accepting Applications
As of 2026, many emergency rental assistance programs that were active in 2024 and early 2025 are no longer accepting new applications. The reason is simple: funding ran out. The federal ERA2 program distributed $21.55 billion across all states and localities, which sounds enormous, but when divided among every county and city, the per-capita amount was modest. Many programs distributed their entire allocation faster than anticipated because demand for rental assistance was—and remains—very high. A second reason some programs have closed is that they were designed to spend money by specific deadlines. A state that received ERA2 funding might have had to spend the entire amount by the end of 2024 or face clawback (return of unspent funds to the Treasury).
This created a rush to obligate money, and once a program hits its obligation deadline, it closes regardless of how many people are still seeking help. This is a structural problem with grant-based funding: the calendar matters more than the need. This is a critical warning for renters: if you’re behind on rent, do not wait. Check whether programs in your area are still accepting applications, and apply immediately if they are. Waiting a week or two could mean finding that a program has closed or reached its funding limit. Program websites typically show whether applications are still being accepted, and 2-1-1 can give you this information by phone.
Federal ERA2 Final Reporting and What It Means for Applicants
Grantees must submit final performance reports to the Treasury Department by January 28, 2026. This date is significant because it’s the last official deadline for the federal ERA program structure. After this date, the federal government will have a complete picture of how much was distributed, to whom, and what happened.
But this reporting deadline does not affect new applicants; it’s an administrative requirement for the agencies that received and distributed the money. What this means practically is that any program still accepting applications after January 28 is operating on local or state funding, not federal ERA money. This is not inherently bad—local programs can be excellent—but it helps clarify what you’re applying for and which budget constraints might apply.
Real Programs Still Operating: Los Angeles County and Hennepin County Examples
The Los Angeles County Emergency Rent Relief Program offers a concrete, current example of how local emergency rental assistance works in 2026. The application window was opened in December 2025, and the deadline is January 23, 2026. The program prioritizes residents impacted by the 2025 wildfires and those experiencing financial hardship. The online application is straightforward, asking for proof of residency, income documentation, and evidence of financial hardship or rent arrears. The county then processes applications and distributes funds directly to landlords or tenants depending on the case. Over $23 million is available, which is substantial at the local level, though it will not serve every renter in the county who needs help.
This is the new reality: adequate funding for some, but not enough to help everyone who qualifies. Hennepin County, Minnesota’s $9.6 million allocation for 2026 is projected to help over 2,500 households avoid eviction. The program operates through the county’s Department of Community Assistance and Services. Residents apply through a local intake process, and awards are typically smaller than they were during the federal ERA era—often covering three to six months of rent rather than a year or more. This is a meaningful program that prevents real evictions, but it’s also a clear step down from the scale of federal assistance available from 2021 through 2025. The comparison is important: if you received help from a federal ERA program during that period, understand that local programs today operate under tighter constraints.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did all emergency rental assistance programs end on September 30, 2025?
The federal Emergency Rental Assistance programs administered by the Treasury Department ended on September 30, 2025. However, many state and local governments launched or continued their own emergency rental assistance programs using local and state funds. These vary by location.
How much money is still available for rental assistance in 2026?
The total amount varies by location. Los Angeles County has over $23 million available; Hennepin County, Minnesota has $9.6 million allocated for 2026. Other counties and cities have different amounts. Call 2-1-1 or check 211.org to find the current funding levels in your area.
What is the deadline to apply for the Los Angeles County Emergency Rent Relief Program?
The application deadline is January 23, 2026, at 4:59 PM PST.
If I was denied by a federal ERA program, can I apply for local assistance?
Yes. Local programs have different eligibility criteria than the federal programs did. Being ineligible for federal ERA does not disqualify you from a county or city program.
How do I know if a rental assistance program in my area is still accepting applications?
Call 2-1-1, visit 211.org, or contact your county or city government directly. Program websites will state whether they are open or closed to new applications.
What should I do if rental assistance is not available in my area?
Contact a local legal aid organization, which may be able to help you with eviction defense or negotiate with your landlord. Many nonprofits also have emergency funds or can refer you to other resources.
