West Virginia DHHR housing assistance is now delivered through the Emergency Assistance program administered by the Bureau for Family Assistance (BFA) under the Department of Human Services (DoHS). It provides one-time help for households facing an immediate housing crisis such as eviction, foreclosure, utility shutoff, or loss of a home, and payment goes directly to your landlord, utility company, or other vendor. Assistance is limited to one 30-day period in any 12 consecutive months.1Bureau for Family Assistance. Emergency Assistance If you have an eviction notice, shutoff notice, or similar document in hand, start at the WV PATH portal at wvpath.wv.gov or contact your county DoHS office today.
DHHR Is Now DoHS, and BFA Runs the Program
On January 1, 2024, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources was split into three departments under House Bill 2006.2West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. DH, DHF, and DoHS Provide Update on Changes as Result of the DHHR Reorganization Housing assistance moved to the Department of Human Services, and day-to-day administration sits with the Bureau for Family Assistance.3Bureau for Family Assistance. Bureau for Family Assistance Many county offices, forms, and web pages still carry DHHR branding. That’s expected. You’re in the right place.
What Emergency Assistance Pays For
The program addresses specific categories of crisis, each with its own payment limit set out in Chapter 19 of the West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual.4Bureau for Family Assistance. Income Maintenance Manual
Rent, Deposits, and Lodging
For a rent emergency, the program covers up to one month of rent when you pay monthly, four weeks if you pay weekly, or 30 days at a daily rate. There is no fixed dollar cap because rent varies across the state. If you have already lost your home and need to move, the program can cover a security deposit at the amount customary to the community, not exceeding one month’s rent at the new place.5West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. WV Income Maintenance Manual – Emergency and Special Assistance Programs Chapter 19.2
For emergency shelter or motel lodging, payment is authorized at the going rate for up to one week. A supervisor can extend that to 30 days when no other temporary housing is available.
Utilities and Heating Fuel
The program pays to prevent utility shutoffs or restore disconnected service. For bulk fuel, the Income Maintenance Manual sets quantity limits: up to 135 gallons of bottled gas, 150 gallons of fuel oil, one ton of coal, or one cord of wood. If your heating problem is not immediate and the regular heating season is approaching, LIEAP (described below) is usually the better fit.
Mortgage, Food, Household Items
If a lender will not delay foreclosure with interest-only payments, Emergency Assistance can cover one full monthly mortgage payment including principal and interest.5West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. WV Income Maintenance Manual – Emergency and Special Assistance Programs Chapter 19.2 A few smaller categories round out the program:
- Food: up to seven days of food costs, since expedited SNAP is expected to cover longer gaps.
- Household supplies and furnishings: up to $100 per household, paid to a vendor.
- Clothing: up to $75 per eligible household member, paid to a vendor.
Who Qualifies
Eligibility is not just about income. You need a documented crisis, no other way to resolve it, and you must meet the frequency and program-compliance rules.
Income and Resources
Your household income is measured against Federal Poverty Level guidelines. For reference, the 2026 FPL is $15,960 per year for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four.6HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level The Income Maintenance Manual sets the specific percentage of FPL used to evaluate Emergency Assistance applications, and the exact threshold isn’t published on BFA’s public pages, so expect to document every income source and let the caseworker run the calculation. You also can’t have savings, assets, or access to another program that could cover the expense yourself. This is genuinely a last-resort benefit.
A Real, Documented Crisis
The department defines an emergency as an existing or imminent threat to your household’s physical health, safety, or well-being. In practice that means an eviction notice, a court summons for removal, a utility shutoff notice, destruction of your home, or a similar concrete threat with paperwork behind it. Worrying that you won’t make next month’s rent, without any enforcement action yet, generally doesn’t qualify.
Residency
You must be a West Virginia resident, and every person living in the home must be listed on the application. Household size affects both the income calculation and the level of support.
One Period Every 12 Months
Emergency Assistance is limited to one period of 30 consecutive days in any 12 consecutive months, with no exceptions.1Bureau for Family Assistance. Emergency Assistance If you received help in March, you cannot apply again until the following March at the earliest. You are also disqualified if your household is currently under a penalty for fraud, non-cooperation, or failure to pursue other resources in any DoHS program. Households under a third or subsequent WV WORKS sanction are ineligible during the first three months of the sanction, and SNAP-penalty ineligibility also runs three months.
Documents to Gather Before You Apply
Having these ready when you start the application saves significant time:
- Social Security cards for every household member.
- Proof of West Virginia residency, such as a current lease or utility bill in your name.
- Recent pay stubs, benefit award letters, child support records, and proof of any other income, including irregular income like side jobs or cash gifts.
- The eviction notice, court summons, shutoff notice, or other paperwork showing the crisis. Current and legible.
- A breakdown of your monthly bills and debts.
Report income accurately. The West Virginia Office of Inspector General investigates suspected misrepresentation in income maintenance programs, and underreporting can result in fraud allegations and loss of eligibility for future assistance.7West Virginia Office of Inspector General. Investigations and Fraud Management
How to Apply
Three routes are available. The fastest for most people is WV PATH at wvpath.wv.gov, where you can screen for programs without signing in, create an account, and submit electronically.8WV PATH. WV PATH Portal Electronic signatures are valid, so you don’t need to print or mail anything.
You can also visit your county DoHS office in person. Every county has one, and the field office directory on the DoHS website lists them.9West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. Field Offices Walking in lets front-desk staff spot obvious gaps in your paperwork before it’s submitted. Mailing your packet to the county office is the third option and the slowest.
The main application form is the DFA-2, used across several DoHS programs. If you need to protect your application date while you gather documents, file a DFA-RFA-1, which requires only your name, address, and signature to hold the date.10West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. WV Income Maintenance Manual – Application/Redetermination Process 1.3 That can matter when eviction proceedings are moving. If the department sends you a DFA-6, that’s a “Notice of Information Needed,” not an application, and you must respond within 60 days or the case can be denied.11West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. WV Income Maintenance Manual – Notification of Action Taken on an Application 6.2
After You Apply
A caseworker is assigned and will schedule an interview, usually by phone or at your county office within a few business days. The interview is the core of the evaluation, not a formality. Have your documents organized and be ready to explain the crisis clearly. The caseworker will ask about any income or expense discrepancies and assess whether your situation meets the emergency standard.
You’ll receive a decision by mail or through WV PATH. Approved payments go directly to the landlord, utility company, or other vendor. You do not receive cash. From interview to notification typically takes about two weeks, though complex cases run longer.
If You Are Denied
A denial can be challenged. Federal regulations require state agencies to offer a fair hearing, including the right to examine your case file and any documents the agency plans to use before the hearing.12eCFR. Fair Hearings for Applicants and Beneficiaries Request a hearing through your local DoHS office.
Deadlines matter. If you were already receiving benefits that were reduced or terminated, requesting a hearing within 13 days of the adverse action notice may allow benefits to continue while you wait. Miss that window and the change takes effect, though you still have up to 90 days to request the hearing. First-time applicants who were denied won’t receive benefits during the appeal but retain the right to challenge the decision. Ask for the denial reason in writing so you can address the exact deficiency, whether that’s a missing document, an income calculation you dispute, or a rule you believe was misapplied.
LIEAP for Heating-Specific Crises
If your problem is heating cost, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) may fit better than Emergency Assistance, or supplement it. LIEAP pays utility companies or fuel vendors directly and has a separate crisis component for households that have already lost heating.13Bureau for Family Assistance. Utility Assistance/LIEAP For fiscal year 2026, monthly income ceilings are:
- 1 person: $2,454
- 2 people: $3,209
- 3 people: $3,965
- 4 people: $4,720
- 5 people: $5,475
- 6 people: $6,230
Add $688 per additional person for households of seven or more.13Bureau for Family Assistance. Utility Assistance/LIEAP LIEAP runs seasonally and stops taking applications once the program closes for the year. Applications are processed within 30 days of receipt or the program’s opening date, whichever is later.