What to do
Pending Applicants
All pending applicants will be served if they are eligible, so please be patient and wait for an intake worker to contact you. Wait times are averaging one month or more, so please upload your latest income documents, lease agreement, personal identification, and rent ledger to your application via your SF ERAP confirmation email to speed up the process. For help with this process, contact a community partner listed under the community partners page.
Prospective Applicants
SF ERAP will resume accepting new applications in early 2023. Program rules are subject to change upon reopening to better assist those at highest risk of homelessness and displacement. Financial assistance will not be guaranteed to new applicants who meet minimum eligibility criteria.
Additional eviction protections
If you are facing eviction, do not delay: Get free legal help at the Eviction Defense Collaborative at (415) 659-9184, legal@evictiondefense.org, or visit EDC at 972 Mission St. Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, 10-11:30 am and 1-2:30 pm. Financial assistance may be available if you are in court facing eviction.
If you need help negotiating a payment plan with your landlord or master tenant, get free mediation help at the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Conflict Intervention Service (CIS) at (415) 782-8940 or cis@sfbar.org.
Get help from a community partner listed under the community partners page.
Current Eviction Protections
Above all, don’t move out! You have rights and free legal and financial help is available. Visit our community partners page to find a community-based partner near you.
The government actions described below are difficult to understand. If you receive eviction documents, you should immediately seek free legal help from the Eviction Defense Collaborative at (415) 659-9184 or legal@evictiondefense.org, or visit EDC at 972 Mission St., 1st Floor, on Monday, Wednesday or Friday, 10-11:30 am and 1-2:30 pm. If you need advice about a specific situation, you can also contact the Rent Board, a mediator, or a tenant counselor listed under the community partners page.
Please keep in mind, rent is still owed – it has not been forgiven or cancelled
New Local Eviction Protections for Tenants Beginning July 1, 2022
Landlords and tenants should be aware that Mayor Breed signed legislation that prohibits landlords from evicting residential tenants for non-payment of rent that originally came due on or after July 1, 2022 and was not paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still ongoing. It also prohibits landlords from imposing late fees, penalties, or similar charges on tenants who are unable to pay their post-July 2022 rent due to COVID-19.
Please note that pandemic-impacted tenants with past-due rent that came due between July 1, 2022 and the end of the local state of emergency are permanently protected against eviction for non-payment of rent that came due during this period of time, even after the Mayor terminates her COVID-19 Emergency Proclamation.
This legislation does not protect tenants against eviction if the rental debt was incurred prior to July 1, 2022.
I could not pay rent between March 1 - August 31, 2020
AB 832 permanently prohibits evictions for nonpayment of rent for these months. The landlord cannot evict but can take the tenant to small claims court starting November 1, 2021 for any rent that is still unpaid. AB 832 requires the tenant to provide landlord a signed declaration in response to a 15-day notice.
I could not pay rent between September 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021
For rent due between September 2020-September 2021, AB-2179 permanently prohibits evictions for nonpayment of rent, and allows the landlord to take the tenant to small claims court starting November 1, 2021 for any rent that is still unpaid. AB-2179 requires the tenant to give the landlord a signed declaration in response to a 15-day notice, AND by September 30, 2021 to pay at least 25% of the missed rent from September 2020-September 2021 rents (can be lump-sum).
The eviction legal process moves quickly, so do not delay: contact the Eviction Defense Collaborative at (415) 659-9184 or legal@evictiondefense.org to get free legal help as soon as possible.
Financial assistance may be available if you are in court facing eviction.
Get help
Get free help from a counselor
A community partner near you can help you with the housing problem that is happening to you.
Visit our community partners page for more information.
Last updated February 15, 2023