Mobile County Treasury Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance (TERA)

Eligible Rent and Utility Costs

• Past due rent starting from March 13, 2020 to present
• Current and future rent
• Past due and current utility and energy expenses to include electricity, gas, water and sewer, trash removal, and energy costs such as LP gas

Assistance may be provided for up to 15 months under TERA1 or 18 months with TERA2. Future rent assistance will be for no more than 3 months at a time. Applicants must reapply every 3 months and will be assisted only if eligibility requirements are met and funds are available.

Renter Eligibility Requirements

• Must reside and be obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling unit within Mobile County, Alabama. This includes all the municipalities within the County and the unincorporated areas of Mobile County. 
• One or more individuals in the household experience financial hardship either during (i.e., March 13, 2020 and forward) or due directly / indirectly to the coronavirus pandemic (criteria dependent on use of TERA1 or TERA2):
  • Qualify for unemployment, or
  • Have experienced a reduction in household income, or
  • Incurred significant costs, or
  • Experienced other financial hardship
• Household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing an eviction notice and/or past-due utility / rent notice.  Other evidence of risk includes being overly rent-burdened (having housing costs equal to or in excess of 50% of income) or having other compelling evidence (in the opinion of the County) that demonstrates risk.
• Applicant has a household income at or below HUD 80% AMI.

https://www.mobilecountyal.gov/rental-and-utility-assistance