To qualify for rental assistance, applicants must meet the minimum eligibility criteria below. Application review requires that each program requirement be met and verifiable supporting documentation provided. Submitting an application does not guarantee financial assistance.

To be eligible, renters must:

1. Currently rent their home anywhere in the County of Sacramento
2. Have household gross annual income at or below the low-income limits shown below
3. Have at least one household member that:

• • is qualified for unemployment benefits, OR
  • has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or has experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19

4. Demonstrate housing instability or a risk of being unhoused

Households that previously applied for and/or received rental assistance through the SERA Program are eligible to apply again.

Gross Annual Household Low Income Limits:

No. After the application deadline, all applications will be put in a computerized random order.

Yes. If they can provide proof of a lease or rental agreement issued by the property owner for the room.

Yes. If they can provide proof of a lease or rental agreement issued by the property owner.

No. SERA2 provides rental assistance only. Please contact your lender directly to discuss payment options.

Yes, as long as there is no duplication of the assistance currently received (from Section 8 or Public Housing) and they have had a financial impact due to COVID-19.

Yes. The SERA2 Program also provides for past utilities assistance and 25 percent of your rental assistance payment for April-June 2021. Priority is given to applicants that owe rental arrears.

If you are requesting assistance paying rental arrears, your 2020 income is required for verification.  If you are looking for assistance with rent for April, May and June 2021, income eligibility is based on your  current gross household income.

The SERA2 Program only provides assistance for your current residence.

Yes, as long as there is no duplication of assistance for the same time period covered by the other COVID-19 rental assistance program.

Priority will be given to households that owe rental arrears.

Applications will be assisted in this priority order:

Priority Tier 1: Households at or below very low income limits OR Households at or below low income limits where someone in the household has been unemployed for 90 days prior to date of application.

Priority Tier 2: Households at or below low income limits and in a community disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Priority Tier 3: Households at or below low income limits and not addressed in Tiers 1 & 2.

Gross Annual Household Very Low Income Limits:

Applications will be accepted online from February 25, 2021, through March 19, 2021.

Step 1: Prior to starting the application process, review all eligibility requirements and required documents at www.shra.org/sera.

Step 2: Register at www.shra.org/sera and complete the application. It is important that you remember your log-in and your password.

Step 3: You will receive email confirmation once your application is successfully submitted.

Step 4: You can check on the status of your application at www.shra.org/sera.

Step 5: Your application and documents will be reviewed. You will be contacted if additional information is required.

For the best user experience, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari web browsers are recommended. If you do not know your browser, go to www.whatismybrowser.com and it will display it for you.

Type in www.shra.org and look at the scrolling banner at the top of the page. When information on the SERA Program scrolls through please click on it.

1. Once you start the registration process you will be asked for an email address. Once entered, you must confirm this email address before you log in and complete your application. Please check your email, and click on the link in the Confirm Registration email message you received to confirm your registered email address.
2. If you cannot find the registration email that was sent to you, please check your junk or spam folder. If you still cannot find the registration email, click the Resend Email Confirmation link on the login page.
3. If you successfully confirmed your email address, but still cannot log in, select the Forgot your password? link on the login page. An email message will be sent to you with a link to create your new password.

Yes. You can use a mobile device, tablet, laptop, or computer that has internet access.

Yes. An email address is required to apply for this program. Most of our correspondence will be through email.

If you do not have a valid email address, you will need to create one to complete the application. The following are popular, free email providers:

• Gmail – click to create
• Yahoo – click to create
• Microsoft Outlook – click to create

Yes. The online application will be available in 6 languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Russian, and Chinese.

Yes. Communication with your landlord is important. You will also need to provide your landlord’s name and their phone number, email, or mailing address in your application. Accurate information is critical so we can promptly reach your landlord. The process is likely to go faster if your landlord knows you have applied and is ready to participate in the process.

You can log in from February 25, 2021, through March 19, 2021, and select the Edit button to open your application. You can then make changes or upload documents and re-submit your updated application.

Confirm that you are completing your application in a recommended internet browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari). Look for error messages informing you of missing information and make sure you are following these requirements when you upload all required documents:

• Each document must be no larger than 10 megabytes (MB) in size.
• Allowed valid file formats end in file extensions consisting of .PDF, .JPG, .PNG, and .JPEG.
• Send an email to sera@shra.org

Once per application period. Duplicate applications will be removed. Households that previously applied for and/or received rental assistance through the SERA1 Program last year are eligible to apply again, however it cannot be for payments already made by the program for that time period.

Yes. Landlords can register their tenants for the program, but tenants will need to provide the necessary documentation. No matter whether the landlord or tenant starts the application process, the deadline for application submission is March 19^th.

Once the application period closes on March 19^th, applications will be put in a computerized random order and processing will begin.

An application must be submitted to be considered for assistance. If an application is not submitted by March 19, 2021 that application will be available to be continued and submitted in the next application period opening.

One form of government-issued photo identification for the person applying, such as:

Driver’s license
California ID
Passport
Other government-issued photo ID

Current utility bills showing amounts owed:

SMUD
PG&E
Water
Sewer
Trash
Internet

Lease (all pages)

Document received from landlord showing amount owed in arrears:

This could be either a past due notice or a Statement of Rental Arrears

Documentation of all annual gross household income for 2020:

2020 tax return
2020 W-2
2020 1099
Benefit letters from SSI, SSA,
Unemployment/EDD Insurance Award Notice
Other

Documentation of all current household income for past 2 months:

Paystubs
Benefit letters from SSI, SSA,
Unemployment/EDD Insurance Award Notice
Other

The assistance can cover the following:

1. Rental Arrears

For assistance with rental arrears, landlords will have a choice:

(1) To accept 80% of an eligible household’s unpaid rental debt accumulated from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 as payment in full. The landlord must agree to forgive the remaining balance.

OR

(2) To accept 25% of an eligible household’s unpaid rental debt accumulated from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 for the tenant to receive the protection provided in AB3088.

OR

(3)  To not accept payment directly from the SERA2 Program and choose to not participate in the SERA2 Program. In this case, 25% of the rent arrears from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 will be made payable to the tenant so they can pay the landlord and receive the protection provided in AB3088.

2. Utility Arrears

Assistance is also available to cover all past utilities owed from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021

3. Prospective Rent

25% of the rent due for April through June 2021 can also be paid based on eligibility.

SMUD, PG&E, water, sewer, and trash paid outside of the lease may be covered. Utilities paid with the rent will be included in the rental assistance disbursement. Internet services may be covered by the program if it is required in the home for distance learning or teleworking.

Utility payments will be issued directly to the utility company. Applicants must agree for the SERA2 Program to share account information on their behalf with the utility companies in order to receive utilities assistance.

The status of your application will be updated as it moves through the processing steps. Log in to the application portal where you submitted your application to view your status.  You will receive emails/phone calls if information is required when staff process your paperwork. You will also receive emails when it moves through the review process.

The SERA2 Program will make every effort to notify applicants and landlords of their application status throughout the process.

In most cases, the payment will be made directly to the landlord or property owner. If your landlord does not agree to participate in the program and accept one of the assistance options, payment can be made directly to the tenant to pay their landlord and receive the protection provided in AB3088.

Yes. Landlords can register their tenants for the program. The tenant will then be notified to complete their part of the application process and must submit a completed application by March 19th.

For assistance with rental arrears, landlords will have a choice:

(1) To accept 80% of an eligible household’s unpaid rental debt accumulated from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 as payment in full. The landlord must agree to forgive the remaining balance.

OR

(2) To accept 25% of an eligible household’s unpaid rental debt accumulated from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 for the tenant to receive the protection provided in AB3088.

OR

(3) To not accept payment directly from the SERA2 Program and choose to not participate in the SERA2 Program. In this case, 25% of the rent arrears from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 will be made payable to the tenant so they can pay the landlord and receive the protection provided in AB3088.

If a landlord agrees to participate and accepts the rental assistance, funds will be disbursed directly to the landlord. If the landlord chooses not to participate, the determined assistance will be disbursed directly to the tenant.

Landlords will self-certify to the below language, as well as agree to the terms of the rental assistance option they select, as part of their program participation.

I/We declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct, as of the date of its submission, except those matters that I have indicated that I am informed and believe and upon such information and belief that the matters referenced are also true and correct, under the penalty of perjury under the laws of California. I/We understand that any false, misleading, or missing information will result in denial of this application and may be punishable by the fullest extent of the law. Making a false statement under penalty of perjury is a crime and is punishable as such. All applications are conditional upon final review by the SHRA.