Quick answer
Arizona has no open statewide rent relief program; the U.S. Treasury states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025. For rent help now: in Maricopa County, the county’s Eviction Prevention Pilot (announced August 2026, run by HOM, Inc. with the City of Phoenix) pays up to $3,200, enough for up to two months of back rent, generally reaching tenants through participating landlords. Statewide, families with a child at home can apply for DES Short-Term Crisis Services (rent or mortgage, deposits, utilities; income up to 125% of poverty, 150% with a senior or person with a disability; once in 12 months) through a community action agency. Dial 2-1-1 Arizona for city and charity funds, and call legal aid the day you get a notice. Applying is free.
Key facts
- Pandemic programs are over: ERA-funded programs in Arizona, Maricopa County, Phoenix, Tucson, and Pima County no longer take new applications.
- Maricopa County Eviction Prevention Pilot: up to $3,200 per household (up to two months of back rent), funded from the county’s FY2027 budget; tenants are typically notified after their landlord is enrolled.
- Short-Term Crisis Services: DES pays rent, mortgage, deposits, or utilities for families with a dependent child facing a crisis.
- Arizona evictions move fast: landlords can file after a 5-day notice for unpaid rent, and hearings are often scheduled within days of filing.
- No real program charges a fee to apply.
Table of contents
Is the Arizona rent relief program still open?
No. During the pandemic, the Arizona Department of Economic Security ran the Arizona Rental Assistance Program for most counties, while Maricopa County, the City of Phoenix, Pima County, and Tucson ran their own programs. All of them were funded by the federal Emergency Rental Assistance program, and the U.S. Treasury states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025, on its ERA page. No new statewide program replaced them.
Watch out: sites still offering an “Arizona rent relief application” for a fee are scams. DES, Maricopa County, community action agencies, and 211 never charge.
How the Maricopa County Eviction Prevention Pilot works
On August 17, 2026, Maricopa County announced an Eviction Prevention Pilot paid from its fiscal year 2027 budget. According to the county’s announcement:
- It provides one-time help to households facing a hardship that prevents them from paying the current month’s rent, up to $3,200, enough to cover up to two months of back rent.
- HOM, Inc. administers the program and handles contact with landlords and tenants; the City of Phoenix supplies utility aid and case management.
- The Arizona Multihousing Association helps identify participating landlords, and tenants are notified of possible eligibility after their property owner has been engaged.
- Eligibility details and the document list are at Maricopa.gov/EvictionPrevention; the county will use results to decide the pilot’s future.
Because enrollment runs through landlords, the most useful thing a tenant can do is ask the property manager whether the property participates, and call 2-1-1 to learn whether direct tenant intake is open.
Rent help through Short-Term Crisis Services
DES’s Short-Term Crisis Services program helps low-income families with an emergency they cannot meet from their own income. It can pay rent or mortgage to prevent homelessness, emergency shelter, utility payments and deposits, rental deposits, and job-related needs. To qualify you must live in Arizona, have a child under 18 at home who is a U.S. citizen or qualified legal resident, and have gross income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines (150% if the household includes someone 60 or older or a person with a disability); for 2026, 125% is $34,150 a year for a family of three. Help is limited to once in 12 months and is not guaranteed. Apply through the community action agency for your area; see our Arizona hardship program guide for details.
Other rent help in Arizona
| Type of help | What it pays | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| City and county eviction prevention | One-time rent or arrears when budgeted | Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Pima County human services |
| Homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing | Arrears, deposits, move-in costs | Nonprofits funded by HUD Emergency Solutions Grants, via coordinated entry |
| Charity rent funds | One-time payment to the landlord | St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, churches |
| Housing Choice Vouchers | Ongoing subsidy (about 30% of income toward rent) | Local housing authorities; waiting lists |
| Energy help (frees cash for rent) | Heating, cooling, and crisis payments to the utility | LIHEAP through community action agencies |
HUD Exchange lists homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing among the uses of Emergency Solutions Grants in its program requirements. Arizona utilities also offer discount rates for qualifying households (for example APS Energy Support and SRP Economy Price Plan), which free up money for rent. Estimate SNAP with our SNAP calculator: from Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027, a family of four can receive up to $1,023 a month.
If you already have an eviction notice
- Read the notice date. Under Arizona’s landlord-tenant law, a landlord can file for eviction after a 5-day written notice for unpaid rent, and hearings are often set within days of filing.
- Go to court. Missing the hearing almost always means a judgment against you.
- Call free legal help: Community Legal Services (Maricopa and western counties), Southern Arizona Legal Aid, and DNA-People’s Legal Services; Maricopa County justice courts also have eviction help resources. Ask 211.
- Get the landlord’s written agreement to accept a payment from an agency or charity and dismiss the case.
How to get help, step by step
- Dial 2-1-1 Arizona and ask for every open rent fund in your county, coordinated entry, and legal aid.
- In Maricopa County, check Maricopa.gov/EvictionPrevention and ask your landlord whether the property participates in the pilot.
- If you have a child at home, call your community action agency for Short-Term Crisis Services and LIHEAP.
- Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher with every housing authority that serves your area.
- Bring: lease, notice, ID, proof of income for the last 30 days, and the landlord’s contact details.
Applying is free. DES, Maricopa County, HOM, community action agencies, 211, charities, and legal aid never charge.
For more specifics, see our guides on Arizona eviction assistance and emergency rent relief by state.
Related guides
- Arizona assistance programs
- Arizona utility relief programs
- Programs that help pay rent
- Salvation Army rental assistance
Frequently asked questions
Is the Arizona rent relief program still accepting applications?
No. The pandemic Arizona Rental Assistance Program and the matching city and county programs ended with federal ERA funding. Rent help now comes from local pilots, DES Short-Term Crisis Services, charities, and vouchers.
What is the Maricopa County Eviction Prevention Pilot?
A county-funded program announced in August 2026 that pays up to $3,200, enough for up to two months of back rent, for households facing a hardship. HOM, Inc. runs it, and tenants are usually reached through participating landlords.
Can DES help me pay rent in Arizona?
Yes, if you have a child under 18 at home and income at or below 125% of poverty (150% with a senior or person with a disability). Short-Term Crisis Services can pay rent, mortgage, deposits, or utilities once in 12 months, through community action agencies.
How fast are evictions in Arizona?
Fast. A landlord can file after a 5-day notice for unpaid rent, and court hearings are often scheduled within days. Call legal aid and 211 the day you get a notice.
Who do I call for rent help in Arizona?
Dial 2-1-1 Arizona for local rent funds and legal aid, and call your community action agency about Short-Term Crisis Services. Both are free.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on October 25, 2026. If a source and this page ever disagree, follow the source.
- Maricopa County: Eviction Prevention Pilot announcement (August 2026)
- Arizona Department of Economic Security: Short-Term Crisis Services
- U.S. Treasury: Emergency Rental Assistance program status
- Arizona Revised Statutes §33-1368: Noncompliance with rental agreement; failure to pay rent
- eCFR: Emergency Solutions Grants program requirements
- USDA FNS: SNAP cost-of-living adjustments, FY 2027 tables
- 211.org: find your local 211
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. Program funding changes; confirm with the agency that runs the program. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.
Before you apply: program rules, amounts, and deadlines change. Always confirm details with the official agency or program administrator. Applying for government benefits is free.
National Relief Program is an independent guide, not a government agency. Spotted an error? Email support@nationalreliefprogram.org.
