Emergency Assistance - ECDSS

Rath Building 158 Pearl Street, 1st Floor Buffalo, NY 14202 www2.erie.gov/socialservices/
Main Phone
716-858-8000

Emergency Assistance
716-858-6265

Fax
716-858-2628

Primary Services
Home Maintenance and Minor Repair Grants/Loans, Household Goods Storage, Mortgage Payment Assistance, Moving Expense Assistance, Rent Payment Assistance, Rental Deposit Assistance, Service Animal Purchase Assistance, Undesignated Temporary Financial Assistance

Description
Assists eligible individuals in a crisis by issuing one-time, non-recurring payments to meet emergency situations. The unit may assist with security agreements to landlords, extermination fees, moving or storage expenses, and utility arrears payments to avoid shut-offs or to restore service (currently unavailable; all utility arrears are currently being handled by HEAP until further notice; see separate listing for Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) - ECDSS).

Financial assistance is made in the form of a loan for utility shut-off, evictions, moving/storage expenses, property repair, rental assistance, mortgage assistance, and foreclosure. A security agreement is provided to landlords instead of a security deposit.

Emergency and immediate needs assisted include:
- Shelter Arrears
- Utility Arrears (currently unavailable; all utility arrears are currently being handled by HEAP until further notice; see separate listing for Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) - ECDSS)
- Security Agreements
- Moving Assistance / Storage Assistance
- Water Arrears
- Stoves/Fridges/Household Establishments of Furniture (for Households not receiving Temporary Assistance)
- Essential Property Repair for Homeowners (pending a health evaluation/inspection to confirm that the issue in need of repair poses a hazard to the residents' health)
- Extermination
- Grants of Assistance for Guide Dogs
- Enhanced Shelter Allowance Determination for Temporary Assistance Recipients
- SSI Check Replacement

Hours
Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.

Eligibility
Residents of Erie County.

Intake Process
Applications for Emergency Assistance may be:
- Faxed to 716-858-2628
- Mailed to Erie County Department of Social Services, Unit FA6/75000, P.O. Box 120, Buffalo NY 14201-0120
OR
- Dropped off at the Rath Building, 158 Pearl Street, 1st Floor, Buffalo, NY 14202

Must provide a reliable phone number on the application. DSS will attempt to contact each client the same day for an interview.

Program Fees
Free.

Handicap Accessible?
No

Date of Official Change
Jul 27, 2020

Contacts
CharBrenna Marks (Primary)
Director of Temporary Assistance & Emergency Services
charbrenna.marks@erie.gov
716-858-6660