Emergency Eviction Relief Applications Now Available In Loudoun County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Applications are now open for Loudoun County's new emergency eviction relief program. Qualified residents can submit an application online through the nonprofit Loudoun Cares.

The $500,000 program is being funded by money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to use the funds to combat rising evictions in October.

Read more: Loudoun Supervisors Reallocate $500,000 To Combat Rising Evictions

The $500,000 in ARPA funds were already included in $1.5 million for housing preservation. County staff members recommended the reallocation of funds to help more families in the short term as the winter months approach.

"We have to take care of this issue right now because we do not want families to be unhoused during these months," At-Large Chair Phyllis Randall said at an October meeting. "However, this is the acute problem, it's not the long-term problem."

To qualify for emergency eviction assistance, residents must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a Loudoun resident
• Rent their home and have a valid lease
• Earn less than 80 percent of the area's median income
• Hold a current eviction summons
• Be impacted by COVID-19 economic factors

The resident's landlord also has to agree to participate in the program and provide an IRS W-9 form.

Loudoun County's median income guidelines for 2023 are available online. For an individual, $85,200 is 80 percent of the area's median income. For a family of four, that number rises to $121,700.

The program will run through Jan. 31, 2024, or until the $500,000 has been fully exhausted.

"The number of households that will receive assistance will vary based on several factors," county officials said in a news release. "Loudoun Cares will sign up and recommend financial assistance for as many households as possible."

Payments from the program will be sent directly to landlords.

The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance reported that 1 in 82 renting households are facing eviction filings in Loudoun County. However, county officials reported that court data indicated that evictions increased "sharply" in the past three months.

"The community is really coming together to tackle these problems. And we really have to do that because this is a Band-Aid on the bigger issues," Randall said. "If we don't fix these bigger issues, we'll be back here next year at this time."

Eligible residents can file their application online. Anyone without reliable internet access can call Loudoun Cares for help submitting an application at 703-669-4636.