Keeping Families in their Homes
Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs collectively provided communities over $46 billion to support housing stability for eligible renters throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two separate ERA programs were established: the ERA1 program was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and provided $25 billion to assist eligible households with financial assistance and housing stability services. The ERA2 program was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and provided $21.55 billion to assist eligible households with financial assistance, provide housing stability services, and as applicable, to cover the costs for other affordable rental housing and eviction prevention activities. Financial assistance included the payment of rent, rental arrears, utilities and home energy costs, utilities and home energy costs arrears, and certain other expenses related to housing. ERA funds were provided directly to states, U.S. territories, certain local governments1, and in the case of ERA1, Indian Tribes or their Tribally Designated Housing Entities and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
Questions?
Highlighted Program Resources
Treasury offered a variety of guidance and resources to support successful ERA program implementation and increase program transparency such as:
- Policy Guides: Program Guidance, FAQs, Reporting, & Award terms
- Resources for Enhancing Program Effectiveness: ERA Research and Evaluation, Program & service design & Promising Practices
Recent updates
January 2026
- Reporting Guidance: On January 30, 2026, Treasury published the Financial Confirmation Closeout (FCC) Module Guide.
December 2025
- Guidance: OMB published the 2025 Compliance Supplement. To view the relevant section on the Treasury website please see the 2025 ERA Compliance Supplement.
November 2025
- Reporting: On November 19, 2025, Treasury released ERA2 Cumulative Program Data: Q2 2021 – Q2 2025.
October 2025
- The period of performance for the ERA2 award ended on September 30, 2025. ERA2 grantees may no longer provide financial assistance for eligible renters to cover rent, rental arrears, utilities and home energy costs, utilities and home energy costs arrears, other expenses related to housing and no longer provide housing stability services and cover the costs for other affordable rental housing and eviction prevention activities using ERA2 award funds. ERA2 Final Reports are due to Treasury on January 28, 2026. ERA2 grantees are not required to submit a Q3 2025 compliance report to Treasury. For more information see: ERA2 Closeout Resource, ERA2 Standard Closeout Checklist, and the ERA2 Final Report User Guide.
August 2025
- Guidance: On August 27, 2025, Treasury updated the ERA2 Closeout Resource to reflect the new increased disposition thresholds for equipment and supplies purchased with the ERA2 award, as well as clarifications regarding the use of program income prior to the end date of the period of performance on September 30, 2025.
- Guidance: On August 25, 2025, Treasury published the “Standard Closeout” Checklist for ERA2 Awards. ERA2 Grantees can use this checklist to support successful submission of their Final Report to closeout their ERA2 award.
- Reporting Guidance: On August 18, 2025, Treasury published the ERA2 Final Report User Guide, which provides step-by-step guidance on completing and submitting the ERA2 Final Report.
1 In accordance with the ERA1 and ERA2 statutory requirements, only local governments with more than 200,000 residents are eligible to receive an ERA1 and ERA2 award from Treasury. See 15 U.S.C 9058a.(b)(1) and 15 U.S.C 9058c.(b)(1).