Renter Support

Emergency Rent Assistance Program Applications Reopen July 2026

We have received new funding for our Rent Assistance Program and will accept new applications starting in July 2026. We know how sudden events like illness or job loss can threaten housing and that many people in Washington County need help paying rent. We are here to help as many residents as we can. Read our FAQ here for answers to common questions.

We also offer a Utility Assistance Program to help renters stay current on essential bills.

Rent Assistance Program Details & Eligibility


Our emergency rent assistance program covers rent payments to prevent eviction and keep families in their homes.

To apply, call our prevention line at 503-615-0770 on the 15th of every month starting at 9 a.m. to make an appointment. Please note appointments fill quickly due to high demand for assistance. If the 15th falls on a weekend, call the next Monday instead.

Rent assistance may not cover all of the rent you owe, as there is a limit to how much help each household can receive.

  • Calls are answered first-come, first-served starting at 9:00 a.m. until all appointments are filled.

  • You will provide household names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, gross income for the past 30 days, and a current nonpayment notice from your landlord.

  • Once approved, we review your file and process the payment. It may take 1–2 weeks for your landlord to receive the payment by mail.

  • Payment amounts depend on income, past due balance, address jurisdiction, and available funds.

Applicants also need to meet all of these requirements:

  • You have not received emergency rent assistance in the past 12 months.

  • You have received an eviction notice from your landlord for unpaid rent.

  • Your household income is below 50% of the Area Median Income (see the income table below).

Note that eligibility and assistance amounts depend on available funding and may change at any time.

At this time, rent assistance is available if you are already part of a Community Action program or have been referred by one of our partner organizations. If you are working with a partner organization, they can help you fill out your application and send it to Community Action for you. Community Action reviews all applications. If you are approved, we will pay your rent directly to your landlord or property manager. Partner organizations do not handle rent payments.

The following resources may be able to help:

Utility Assistance

If you need help staying current with essential bills, our Utility Assistance Program may be able to assist: https://caowash.org/utility-assistance

Housing Assistance and Crisis Support

Legal Aid and Eviction Support

Program availability is limited and dependent on funding. Updates will be shared on our website as soon as they become available.

Tenant Materials:

Tenant Resources:

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