The Virginia Rent Relief Program
Virginia Housing is now administering relief for renters experiencing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic through the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP). You can now apply through Virginia Housing on behalf of tenants to receive funds to pay delinquent rental payments dating as far back as April 1, 2020 and forward. The Landlord component of RRP is open to the confirmed Owners of Virginia rental properties (including apartments, single-family residences and manufactured housing), with bona fide leases to qualifying tenants, and that agree to RRP requirements. You are
not required to have financing through Virginia Housing or DHCD to apply.
Eligibility:
In order to receive financial assistance through the Virginia RRP, tenants must meet the following requirements:
Have a valid lease agreement in their name and occupying the unit at time of application.
The household’s total rent payment is at or below 150% Fair Market Rate.
The household’s total gross income is equal to or less than 80% Area Median Income for location.
The household has experienced a financial hardship due (directly or indirectly) to COVID-19, for example:
- Tenant has been laid off.
- Tenant's place of employment has closed.
- Tenant has experienced a reduction in hours of work.
- Tenant must stay home to care for children due to closure of day care and/or school.
- Tenant must stay home to care for children due to distance learning.
- Tenant has lost child or spousal support.
- Tenant has had an increase in expenses due to COVID-19, i.e. child care, medical bills, etc.
- Tenant has been unable to find employment due to COVID-19.
- Tenant is unwilling or unable to participate in their previous employment due their high risk of severe illness fromCOVID-19.
The household cannot receive rental assistance from any other source, including, but not limited to, federal (including Housing Choice Voucher), state and local rental assistance programs, for the same period of time RRP is requested.
Required Documentation:
- Proof of income (pay stubs, bank statements, letter from employer, social security documents, pension).
Must include at least the two months prior to the submission of the application for assistance.
- Valid lease or other documentation of landlord-tenant relationship.
- Rent ledger.
- Completed Application and Agreements.
- Landlord W9.
How to Get Started:
Program Details for Landlords
(Coming soon)
Landlord Flyer and
Tenant Flyer
Landlord User Guide to create a profile and enter tenant application data
Grant Management System (GMS)
Guidance for Income Eligibility and Allowable Fees
(Coming soon)
Contact Us
rentrelief@virginiahousing.com.
Forms:
ACH Form for Landlord Registration
Multiple Property Template for Landlord Registration
Application and Agreements
Zero Income Certification
(Coming soon)
Authorization to Release Information
(Coming soon)
Resources:
HUD Definition of Annual Income
DHCD RRP Tenant Program
Chesterfield and Fairfax RRP Programs
(Coming soon)
80% AMI Guide and
150% FMR Guide
HUD's SAFMR
Funding for RRP is made available through Virginia’s allocation of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and is administered through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Interested applicants will work directly with grantees throughout Virginia to complete applications and process payments. Virginia Housing is the grantee for landlord-initiated applicants. In the event of insufficient program funds to fund all applications, VH will prioritize assistance to households with incomes of no more than 50 percent of AMI and to households in which one or more household member is unemployed and has been unemployed for 90 days.
