If you’re having trouble paying your rent or finding affordable housing, there is help available. There are federal, state, local government organizations as well as charities and other non-profits that have long term and short term assistance programs for qualified applicants. 

Most programs have limited funds. Whether you can get financial assistance and how much often depends on what funds are available when you apply and what your particular situation is.

Federal Government Organizations Rental Assistance Programs

The Emergency Solutions Grants program (ESG) is the federal government’s main assistance initiative. It assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. 

The program does this by providing grants to states, urban areas, metropolitan counties, and U.S. territories to help prevent homelessness, provide emergency shelter, and related services. To find out more about the ESG program contact your local HUD field office. 

The nation’s largest housing assistance organization is HUD (Housing and Urban Development). It oversees programs designed to assist the homeless, low-income families, and tenants facing eviction. 

HUD helps seniors and those with disabilities catch up on overdue rental payments. It helps needy families with rent payments, security deposits, and energy bills. HUD vouchers help low-income families get access to affordable housing. For more information on the public housing voucher program, contact your local public housing authority.

You may qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) if you are a low income parent with a minor child. Financial assistance is available to help with rent, childcare, finding employment, and work training. To qualify, you must be considered low or very low income, be unemployed, underemployed, or about to become unemployed. You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or legal immigrant.

For more information on applying in your state, visit the Office of Family Assistance website.

If you live in a rural area of the country the USDA has programs designed to assist struggling families. It provides rental assistance and housing vouchers for farmers, seniors, immigrants, the disabled, and low-income families. You will find more information about housing opportunities for those in rural areas on the USDA’s Housing Assistance webpage.

Veteran’s Affairs Supportive Housing Program helps veterans pay rent in the form of grants lasting one month or more. It provides vouchers for rental assistance as well as assistance with security deposits. Veterans facing evictions can stop them with this program.

Housing for veterans who are currently homeless can be found through HUD-VASH and Volunteers of America. These programs provide emergency and long term housing assistance. They reach across all states and territories including Puerto Rico and Guam.

Federally funded Legal Services Corp. provides legal assistance to needy families facing eviction. In addition to legal help, Legal Services Corp. representatives refer clients to resources that can help with rent payments and other housing expenses.

Attorneys act as mediators between landlords and tenants to resolve rent disputes. They advise tenants of their rights. They represent tenants in court, help fill out housing applications, and fight housing discrimination. To find your nearest legal aid representative, visit the lsc.gov website.

Housing First is a program that assists the homeless in finding permanent housing. It can help with rent application fees, moving costs, and rent. Priority is made for those considered chronically homeless and those who have been homeless for six or more months.

One of the big differences between the Housing First program and many of the other programs assisting the homeless, is the fact that Housing First attempts to find affordable apartments or houses for their clients and bypass shelters and transitional housing.

For more information on the Housing First program, visit the National Alliance to End Homelessness website.

State and Local Government Organizations Rental Assistance Programs

Most states have programs designed to help struggling families with short and long term rent assistance. Massachusetts has the RAFT program. Florida has EFAHP, and Texas has THHSC. Connecticut has the RAP program. These programs help with rent, security deposits, moving expenses, storage, and other housing-related expenses.

The assistance available may be short term or ongoing. Some of the assistance is in the form of free grants. These state and local agencies serve low to moderate income citizens who need help avoiding living on the streets by finding affordable housing. To get more information on the programs available in your area, visit HUD’s website.

Charities and Other Non-Profits Offering Housing Assistance

Charities like the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and the Red Cross help with emergency rent assistance and utilities. The type of help available depends on the specific circumstances of the applicant and the amount of funds available. 

An example of local non-profit assistance available is the Crisis Assistance Ministry in Charlotte. This organization helps with rent, deposits, electric bills, and travel expenses. It runs a furniture bank and free store. At the free store, they offer everything from clothing and bathroom supplies to toys and books. To find the most helpful charities in your area, visit America’s Best Charities website.

The United Way does not provide direct financial assistance, but it does support the 211 helpline. This number works like 911 but gives callers access to human and health services. You can also go to the 211website to get more information about resources in your local area.

Local community action agencies are a good source for those needing help with rent, utilities, and food. They have case managers who work with clients to find government services and grants that provide financial assistance. Case managers will also assist clients in filling out applications for the various services. To find a community action agency near you, go to the Community Action Partnership website.

If the agency doesn’t have the funds to help financially, case managers will refer clients to other organizations that may be able to help. You don’t have to be affiliated with most churches to get help from them. If you are in need, you should contact every charitable organization in the area regardless of your personal beliefs.

Moving Cost Assistance and Short Term Rent Help

A number of non-profits assist those in need who are facing eviction or homelessness. They also help those who are already homeless find emergency shelter and low rent apartments. They set clients up to become self-sufficient and direct them to programs assisting with long term rental assistance.

Transitional assistance may be in the form of money to pay moving costs, security deposits, storage fees, and any required rent due to a landlord before the tenant is allowed to move into a unit.

Security deposit assistance most commonly goes to those individuals transitioning from short term housing into more permanent housing solutions. They are required to meet certain goals to become self-sufficient in order to receive the extra help needed to get into affordable, long term housing.

Rental Assistance for Seniors, Single Parents, and Those With Disabilities

Certain Developments Vouchers and Designated Housing Vouchers help non-elderly individuals with disabilities obtain affordable housing in developments where owners have established a preference for, or have restricted occupancy to, senior citizens. For more information on these programs, visit HUD’s website. To find out if you are eligible for these programs and what housing is available in your area, contact your local public housing authority.

The Salvation Army is one of the leading charities supporting single mothers. It works with single parents regardless of race, ethnicity, or age to help them find financial aid programs, mentoring groups, and rental grants.

The Salvation Army provides hot meals and gives single mothers access to free household items like bedding, towels, kitchenware, and blankets. The organization is active in assisting mothers who have suffered domestic abuse find safe and secure housing for themselves and their children. Go to salvationarmyusa.org to find out what services are available in your area.

Eviction Prevention Assistance

If you’re about to become homeless because you haven’t paid your rent and have been served with an eviction notice, there are eviction prevention programs that can help. Most of them offer short term assistance in the form of a grant that may be used to pay back rent, late payment fees, and court fees, as applicable.

There may be income eligibility requirements and a cap on the number of times the program will provide the service in a certain time period. The household may have to show the ability to pay future rent. Households paying rent higher than the limit may be excluded.

To be eligible for assistance your income cannot exceed 60% of your state’s median income. $1200 is the maximum assistance you can receive in one year. For more information about assistance available in your state, visit the State and City Funded Rental Housing Programs website.