A. Eligible applicants may receive benefits of up to 2.5 months of rent. The amount of monthly rent assistance shall not exceed the fair market rental value (“FMRV”) as determined by HUD for the dwelling occupied by the applicant.

B. Benefits may only be paid directly to the landlord of the dwelling occupied by the applicant.

C. As a requirement of receiving benefits under the program, the Landlord must sign an agreement, the form of which shall be approved by AEDC, in which the landlord agrees to (i) follow the requirements of the CDC eviction moratorium, (ii) waive all outstanding late fees, and (iii) not raise the applicant's rent during the moratorium. Nothing in these rules shall be construed so as to obligate a landlord to abrogate any provision of a lease agreement with a tenant.

D. Except as provided in Section III(E), in the event (i) applicant's rent arrearage exceeds the program limit of 2.5 months of rent and the applicant is unable to satisfy the deficiency through other financial resources, or (ii) the landlord refuses to sign the agreement specified in Section III(C), the applicant will be ineligible for benefits under the program.

E. If any applicant (including an applicant described in Section III(D)) receives notice of eviction and the applicant is ineligible for emergency housing assistance from other state and federal programs such as Emergency Solutions Grants, benefits under the program will be limited to (i) providing an amount (not to exceed one month's FMRV rent) necessary for a security deposit at a new dwelling, and (ii) 1.5 months of FMRV rent for the new dwelling. The benefits under this Section III(E) will be in lieu of any benefits under Section III(A). These applicants will be required to (a) have been evicted within the previous 30 days, (b) be currently homeless, and, (c) have furnished proof that the pandemic has impacted household health and/or financial stability, through the submission of a signed CDC Eviction Moratorium Declaration.

F. Benefits under the program shall be strictly limited to rental charges for the dwelling and shall not include separate ancillary charges for property amenities unrelated to rent.