Wicomico County Confirms Changes to ERAP Applications

SALISBURY, MD-

Wicomico County announced Wednesday they have the green light from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to let people self-certify to be part of the program Emergency Rental Assitance Payment program.

Wicomico County says they are expecting rental assistance applications to increase to nearly 200 a week thanks to last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down the eviction moratorium.

They say with self-certifying it will cut down on the time between people asking the county for help and getting that payment in form of checks from organizations partnered with Wicomico County to distribute the ERAP funding. 

“We’re hoping that will allow us to process things a lot quicker and get the funding out we’ve ramped up reimbursement to organizations two times a week as requested,” said Jesse Drewer of the Wicomico County Department of Planning and Zoning.

He says in a meeting of the counties with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, additional measures were discussed as potential additions to the new guidance such as debt and credit score forgiveness.

Drewer says Wicomico County has been pushing the state to allow tenants who have been evicted and found new homes to still be able to make back payments to landlords of their previous apartments while making payments to the landlord of their current living situation.

He says the Supreme Court Ruling kicked the decision to the state level, and while the self-certification is confirmed, how exactly it will work in county administration and if additional measures will be implemented will be up to the guidance report from the state.

Drewer says Wicomico County is expecting that more in-depth guidance early next week.