PA Department of Human Services Releases Media Kit Promoting Rental Assistance

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 allocated more than $800 million to Pennsylvania to establish the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which can provide direct assistance for unpaid and upcoming rent and utility bills and other costs related to housing. Applications are currently being accepted, and with the end of the federal eviction moratorium approaching at the end of July, we need Pennsylvanians to know that ERAP is here to help and to begin the application process today to avoid additional public health and economic crises that would come with a wave of evictions.

DHS is continuing to promote ERAP at the state level, but we know that many of you serve Pennsylvanians in different ways and may have close relationships with clients who could benefit from this program. We are asking our partners across Pennsylvania to join us in this effort and spread the word on ERAP and how it can help across your communities.

To assist with this, DHS has developed the attached media kit, which includes:

• Flyers
• Newsletter text
• Social media posts and graphics
• Talking points
• Sample press releases
• Sample media pitch email
• Sample op-ed

These assets are also available on the DHS website here. This media kit was designed to help DHS and our partners continue to promote this program. Please use any or all of these resources to help promote ERAP to your clients, constituents, and networks. The flyers, newsletter text, and social media posts were translated and are available in seven languages.

This media kit includes messaging that targets tenants AND landlords who can apply on behalf of tenants and may be able to stabilize circumstances and avoid evictions with ERAP assistance. Anyone can apply for the program, even if they have not used DHS benefits before. This program is an opportunity to stabilize difficult circumstances that many are in after more than 17 months of a pandemic and historic economic insecurity. We must do all we can to avoid further destabilization that could come with a wave of evictions, and ERAP can be that stabilizing factor.

I hope this will be a valuable resource for your organization. If there is anything not included that could be helpful, please reach out to the DHS Press Office at ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

Thank you for your support and partnership,

Meg Snead

Acting Secretary, PA Department of Human Services