The City of Oakland’s Keep Oakland Housed Emergency Rental Assistance Program (KOH/ERAP) began accepting applications April 1, 2021. The program, one of two being offered to Oakland residents and property owners, targets the most vulnerable community members who are behind in rent and/or utilities.
The City partnered with four local community-based, not-for-profit organizations – Bay Area Community Services (BACS), Catholic Charities East Bay, Centro Legal de la Raza, and Eviction Defense Center – to engage with and identify potential applicants as well as to screen and process applications.
Tenants may apply to the City’s program through a single portal until Monday May 17th 2021. Property owners are also eligible to apply for funding for unpaid rent and/or utilities on behalf of their tenants once gaining written permission from the tenants.
While there were two rental assistance programs offered to Oakland tenants and property owners simultaneously - the City program known as Keep Oakland Housed Emergency Rental Assistance Program (KOH/ERAP) and the State program often referred to as SB 91 Rental Assistance Program. Due to the high volume of applications, the City of Oakland is putting a pause on accepting applications as of May 17, 2021, 5 pm.
Starting May 17, 2021, you may apply for rental assistance through the State of California’s COVID Rent Relief Program. The State will be accepting applications from all Oakland tenants and property owners.
To apply through the State program visit: https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/program_overview.html#landlords
The City program serves:
- Tenants at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) – $39,150 for a four-person household.
- Property owners of 100% restricted affordable housing.
- KOH/ERAP is managed by the city in partnership with local partner agencies.
The State program serves:
- All tenants and property owners.
- The State program will pay up to 80% of rent owed; 20% must be forgiven.
- The State program, SB91 Rental Assistance Program is managed by Horne LLP and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
- Visit the State website here for more information on how to apply.
More Information or Apply Now
City of Oakland:
- Visit the Housing & Community Development page of the City website.
- Call the Housing Resource Center (510) 238-6182
Partner agency contact:
- Bay Area Community Services (BACS) – (510) 899-9289
- Catholic Charities of the East Bay – (510) 860-4985
- Centro Legal de la Raza – (510) 437-1554
- Eviction Defense Center – (510) 452-4541