Keep Fremont Housed Program

Due to the high volume of applications we are experiencing intermittent technical issues. If you receive an error message, please wait 30 minutes and resubmit the application. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The City of Fremont's Keep Fremont Housed program can provide assistance for unpaid rent and utilities dating back as far as March 13, 2020, the date of the federal COVID-19 emergency declaration. Applicants may apply for rental assistance, utility assistance, or both.

Do you need language assistance to complete your application? The following organizations can assist you.

Kidango: Punjabi/Hindi/Spanish: 510-725-8109 Spanish: 510-229-8197

East Bay Agency for Children (EBAC): Korean 510-414-2700, Spanish: 510-410-8392, English/Punjabi/Hindi/Urdu: 510-491-6699

Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL): English: 510-881-5743 English/Spanish: 510-881-7767 English/Dari/Farsi: 510-257-5942

Afghan Coalition: English/Dari: 209-834-6494

To download a printable informational flyer, click on your language selection below:

Dari English Farsi Punjabi Simplified Chinese Spanish Traditional Chinese

Who is Eligible for Keep Fremont Housed?

Applicants will not be asked about their citizenship, nor will they be required to show proof of citizenship.

In order to be eligible for rental assistance, applicants must be obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling/room or pay space rent on a mobile home and must meet all of the following criteria:

Be a Fremont resident
Household Income is at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI). See more information below
One or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 pandemic
One or more individuals within the household can demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability

Not in Fremont?

Oakland Residents can apply on the City of Oakland's website here.
All other Alameda County Residents can apply through Alameda County's website here.

Alameda County Area Median Income (AMI) Limits

To qualify for the program, an applicant’s annual household gross income (before taxes) must not exceed the income limits in the table below based on their household size. For example, a two-person Fremont household cannot earn more than $83,550 a year at 80% AMI before taxes to be eligible for the program.

Alameda County	Number of Persons in Household
Income Category	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Extremely Low: 30% AMI	$27,450	$31,350	$35,520	$39,150	$42,300	$45,450	$48,550	$51,700
Very Low: 50% AMI	$45,700	$52,200	$58,750	$65,520	$70,500	$75,700	$80,950	$86,150
Low: 60% AMI	$54,840	$62,640	$70,500	$78,300	$84,600	$90,840	$97,140	$103,380
Low: 80% AMI	$73,100	$83,550	$94,000	$104,400	$112,800	$121,150	$129,500	$137,850

How will applications be evaluated?

Higher priority will be given to completed applications requesting rental and/or utility assistance based on one or more of the following factors:

Priority Guidelines:

Applicants have a level of household income at 50% AMI or lower;
Eligible households include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application submittal;
Applicants who are rent burdened (rent is over 50% of household income)
Tenants in affordable housing developments

You can view answers to Frequently Asked Questions here.

Are you a landlord with questions? View a recording of a recent information session here.

What Documentation is Needed?

There is no "Save" option in the online application. Please be ready to upload all documentation before applying. If uploading all documentation is not possible before application submittal, please reference the following options to upload documentation under "How Do I Apply for Keep Fremont Housed."

To download at printable checklist of required documents click on your selected language below.

English Farsi Mandarin Punjabi Simplified Chinese Spanish

Required from Tenants

Valid photo identification (i.e. valid driver’s license, State ID, passport, matricula).
Proof that the need for rental assistance and/or utility assistance is a result of significant financial expenses and debt, a job loss or loss of income directly related to COVID-19. Please submit one of the following:
- Layoff letter or letter demonstrating reduced income issued by the employer after March 13, 2020
- State or Federal Unemployment Insurance letter
- Paystubs demonstrating decreased income. Include the last paycheck stub received at full pay and the most current paystub demonstrating the loss of income
- If you are self-employed/contract worker/gig worker and have experienced reduced income due to COVID-19, submit documentation of income made prior to the reduction of income and the most current documentation of income. For example, gig workers can submit their monthly ridership and income history.
- Any eviction notice given to the tenant because of nonpayment due to COVID-19
- Significant expenses related to COVID-19. Please submit your receipts.
For all household members, documentation of gross 2020 income OR gross income for the past 60 days from the date of application submittal. Please submit the following to demonstrate annual household income OR current household income for everyone living in your home:
- Household 2020 tax returns
- Paystubs
- Letter from government agency or printout of County benefits
- Disability Insurance statements
- Social Security statements
- W-2 or other wage statements
- bank statements demonstrating regular income
If you have unpaid utility bills (water, gas/electric, and garbage), provide the first billing statement(s) after March 13, 2020 AND the most current statement(s).

Required from Landlords

All three documents are required:

Copy of lease held by the Applicant. If a lease is not available, please submit one of the following: a signed attestation by the landlord, utility bill in the applicant’s name, bank statement showing payments to the landlord, or check stubs showing evidence of paid rent
Documentation from landlord for rent owed – signed by landlord or authorized representative
IRS Form W-9 completed by the landlord. Click here to download off the IRS website.

How Do I Apply for Keep Fremont Housed?

You can start your application by clicking the "click here to apply button" above. Or if your online access is not consistent, you may call the Fremont Family Resource Center (FRC) at 510-574-2028 to apply by phone. Callers who get voicemail will be instructed to leave a message requesting assistance with Keep Fremont Housed with their name and phone number clearly stated. This number can also be called if you have questions about the program.
The application requires the submission of documents that can be uploaded online as part of the online application process, sent via email through an autogenerated email from the application portal, or sent via secure email. If sending by secure email, please include your first and last name in the subject line. Alternately if these digital options are not available, please schedule an appointment to drop off your documents for scanning at the FRC.
The application requires the submission of documents that can be uploaded online as part of the online application process. If you need assistance uploading your documents, please call the FRC at (510) 574-2028.
Applicants will be notified of the results of the evaluation process by email after their completed application has been reviewed.
If selected for assistance, payment will be made directly to your landlord and/or your utility provider.

Who Do I Contact for More Information?

For questions, application assistance, or language assistance, please call the FRC main line at 510-574-2028 and FRC staff will assist you.

What is Keep Fremont Housed?

The City of Fremont's Keep Fremont Housed Program provides rental assistance and/or utility assistance, using federal U.S. Department of Treasury stimulus funds, to eligible low-to-moderate income households unable to pay their rent and utilities due to a COVID 19-related job loss or loss of income. These funds are aimed at residents who are at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

For rental assistance, the Keep Fremont Housed program can pay both unpaid back rent and prospective rent directly to the landlord not to exceed a 12-month period. Due to the availability of funding, assistance for prospective rent will be considered for applicants meeting the priority guidelines outlined below and is not guaranteed.

For utility assistance, the program can pay unpaid utility bills in arrears beginning the first billing cycle after March 13, 2020.

The total funding amount available for Keep Fremont Housed is $7.1M with not less than 90 percent of awarded funds to be used for direct financial assistance.