(a) Establishment.--The Rental and Utility Assistance Grant Program is established within the department. The program shall provide the following services to eligible individuals:
(1) Rental assistance, including the following:
(i) Rent.
(ii) Rental arrears.
(iii) Utilities and home energy costs.
(iv) Utilities and home energy cost arrears.
(v) Other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or indirectly, to COVID-19, to the extent permitted by Federal law.
(2) Housing stability services, including case management and other services intended to keep households stably housed.
(b) County.--Each county is eligible to participate in the program. The following shall apply:
(1) Grant funds received by a county under this article shall be used for the provision of services under subsection (a). To the extent permitted by Federal law, associated administrative costs and housing stability services shall not exceed 9.09% of the amount of the grant funds.
(2) A county may not use the grant funds received as the non-State match for other State funds, programs or grants.
(3) Counties that participate in the Human Services Block Grant Program under Article XIV-B of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L. 31, No. 21),1 known as the Human Services Code, must use the funds for eligible services under this article.
(4) A county is prohibited from placing any stipulations, restrictions or limitations on assistance or eligibility that are in addition to Federal law or guidance or this article.
(c) Distribution.--Grant funds shall be distributed as follows:
(1) From money appropriated for the program, each county shall receive an amount equal to the population proportion amount as determined by paragraphs (3) and (4). For purposes of this paragraph, a county's population shall be equal to the published estimate by the United States Census Bureau Population Estimates Program for calendar year 2019.
(2) The department shall distribute funding to counties before April 1, 2021, or 30 days after the effective date of this section, whichever is sooner.
(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the population proportion shall be determined as follows:
(i) the population estimate of the county; divided by
(ii) the sum of the population estimates of all counties.
(4) Counties shall receive a disbursement in an amount necessary so that the total disbursement to a county is determined as follows:
(i) Add:
(A) the amount of money received by the Commonwealth from the Federal Government for emergency rental assistance under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021; and
(B) the amount of money paid directly by the Federal Government to units of local governments for emergency rental assistance under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
(ii) Multiply:
(A) the county's population proportion; and
(B) the sum under subparagraph (i).
(5) An amount equal to a disbursement received by a county directly from the Federal Government for rental assistance through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 shall be deducted from the amount calculated under paragraph (4).
(d) Human Services Block Grant Program.--Funds received by a county under the program may not be included in the calculation of the allocation of funds under the Human Services Block Grant Program under section 1405-B of the Human Services Code.2
(e) Reduction of obligations.--The following shall apply:
(1) Any payments received by the landlord or a utility service provider from a payment made under this section shall be used to reduce the amount of the tenant's obligation to the landlord or utility service provider.
(2) A landlord or utility service provider shall not be required to waive any outstanding obligations for rent or utility payments as a condition to participate in the program.
(3) Except as provided under paragraph (4), amounts provided for rent, rental arrears, utilities and home energy costs and utility and home energy cost arrears shall be made to the lessor or utility on behalf of an applicant.
(4) If a landlord or utility service provider refuses to participate in the program, a payment received by an individual must be forwarded to the landlord or utility service provider to reduce the tenant's obligation.
(f) Transfer prohibited.--The department shall use funding from the program only for the purpose of services provided under subsection (a) provided for under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The funding may not be transferred to other programs within the department.
