Carbon County ERAP program closes after distributing about $800,000 to roughly 170–180 households

Carbon County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) closed last week after distributing more than $800,000 to roughly 170–180 households, program staff said.

Program staff said the average amount issued per household was about $5,000 and that final data are still being reconciled. “Our ERAP program did close officially last week, so all the funds have been exhausted,” the program staff member said.

The closure matters locally because ERAP funds helped households avoid eviction and cover move-in costs during a period of high housing demand. Staff said the program issued commitment letters to landlords but did not release funds until a lease was signed and the landlord completed required steps.

Program staff described follow-up steps for applicants the program could not fund before resources ran out. People who applied but were not served were contacted by 2-1-1 to identify other supports and to close cases. Staff also said a 2-1-1 navigator will be retained specifically to prioritize Carbon County callers and provide more in-person, two-on-one casework while the grant remains open for any returned funds.

“We would actually… pay it out. Just because somebody received a commitment letter didn’t mean that they had the funds in hands. We actually didn’t release funding until that landlord… signed the lease,” the program staff member said.

County and partner staff said they are reviewing program data to inform future funding requests and service design. Staff are examining which ZIP codes produced the most applicants and whether certain school-district areas generated concentrated demand; they said this analysis could support future grant applications or targeted outreach.

Other discussion at the meeting included possible analytic follow-ups, such as comparing eviction filings before and after program rollout in selected time windows to assess impact. County staff suggested public sources such as the Unified Judicial System portal for landlord-tenant actions as a starting point for that research.

Program staff said the ERAP grant will remain administratively open through September so any returned funds can be redeployed. They said final tallies and a more detailed breakdown by geography and applicant profile will be shared with the group once reconciled.

Meeting organizers said they will coordinate with county partners and 2-1-1 to communicate remaining local supports and next steps for applicants who remain without housing assistance.