Struggling To Pay Rent? 

If you are one of the many Americans who lives just one paycheck away from financial disaster, a sudden job loss, serious illness or accident, or mounting credit card debt can have you panicking about how to pay next month’s rent. The eviction process can begin just days after you receive a demand notice from your landlord.

If the landlord can’t or won’t work with you and refuses to accept a partial payment, you still have some options to keep the roof over your head.

Churches and Other Not-For-Profit Organizations
Local churches can be a good source for renters short on cash. You have to be a member to get financial help from some of them. Others are willing to help anyone in need regardless of their religious affiliation. There may be financial requirements you have to meet in order to get assistance.

Not everyone realizes that the Salvation Army is a Protestant denomination. As part of their homelessness prevention program, the organization will pay one month’s rent to qualified applicants, as long as there are funds available. It also tries to find short term housing for families with minor children and others about to be evicted.

You can also contact your local Catholic Church. The Catholic Church runs charities that will help financially in emergencies if funds are available. The assistance it offers is extensive and ranges from financial help, low cost or free food, and rent help. Modest Needs offers a maximum of $1000 for a one-time emergency expense.

United Way supports the 211 hotline. This is a free, confidential service helping Americans throughout the country find local resources. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Although United Way does not provide financial assistance, it does refer individuals to the local offices of charities, churches, non-profits, and government organizations that do provide financial assistance. 

You can also get the information online at 211.org. They help in 180 different languages and all information you give is confidential.

Habitat for Humanity
Most people know that Habitat for Humanity builds houses for qualified families and individuals who meet the requirements and complete their program. Not everyone is aware that Habitat for Humanity also helps with cash bailouts. 

You have to apply and meet the requirements to be considered. You can apply online, but you won’t be approved overnight. Funding takes time. If you’re facing immediate eviction, this probably isn’t the course you need to take. The application process takes from one to three months. It can take from eight months to two years to move into a home of your own.

Federal, State, and Local Government Programs
There are a number of federal programs that help needy individuals and families with food and shelter. The three major programs are Public Housing, Section 8 Project-based Rental Assistance, and Housing Choice Vouchers. You can go online to hud.gov to be directed to the local offices that will help you apply for these programs.

If you are a special needs household, the “202” and “811” Supportive Housing Programs assist the elderly and those with disabilities. There are the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS/HIV (HOPWA) program and McKinney-Vento permanent programs for homeless individuals and families.

Individual states have grants and rental assistance programs available to those in need. Examples include the Connecticut TDHCA program, the Massachusetts RAFT program, and the Florida EFAHP program. Most states have requirements that must be met to get assistance approval. Some require applicants to be referred by an approved entity.

TANF
Temporary Assistance for Needy People (TANF) is a joint state and federal government program designed to assist low-income families with minor children. You have to meet the income requirements to be eligible for the program. Standards for eligibility are set by the individual states.

Once you are accepted, you can get help with housing, food, medical care, and student finances. The assistance is in the form of monthly cash benefits.

COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium
Due to the financial havoc the coronavirus has created, Congress passed the Cares Act. Among other things, it put an eviction moratorium in place for renters who are currently living in HUD Multifamily assisted and FHA insured properties. The moratorium runs from March 27, 2020, until July 25, 2020.

This means landlords are barred from evicting tenants or charging late fees during this period. After July 25, 2020, landlords can file evictions after giving 30 days’ notice. If your income has fallen, talk to your landlord about recertification. You should also contact the landlord to discuss a repayment plan if your rent is in arrears. This moratorium should not be used as an excuse to avoid paying your rent if you are capable of doing so.

The moratorium does not affect evictions filed prior to March 27, 2020, or after July 25, 2020. It will not stop evictions based on circumstances other than those involving non-payment of rent due or past due fees and other charges related to non-payment.

Family and Friends
If you have family members, close friends, or mentors, you should consider reaching out to them. They may be willing to help, especially if you sit down with them and work out a viable repayment plan. It’s a good idea to put everything in writing. That way all the parties to the agreement understand the particulars of the arrangement.

You will have to stick to the plan however and repay the loan promptly. You never know when you might face the same predicament and need help from the same source.

Payday or Title Loans
If you’ve exhausted all your options and are still coming up short financially, you might consider a payday or title loan as a last resort. Individuals who still have jobs can get cash from payday loan companies against their next paychecks. The money can be transferred into your account as soon as your monthly or weekly paycheck is verified.

With title loans you sign over the title to your car, motorcycle, boat, 4-wheeler, tractor, or mobile home. Companies give you cash in exchange. If you don’t repay the loan on time, the company can and will repossess your collateral.

The other problem with these types of loans is the amount of interest the companies can charge. Not all states have usury laws. Usury laws limit the amount of interest companies can charge. If the state you live in has no usury laws, you could be looking at a ridiculous amount of interest on even a small loan.

If you don’t repay the loan on time, you will either forfeit the possession you owned the title to or be faced with quickly mounting fees, high rates of interest and penalties attached to the late payments. Payday and title loans should be viewed as a last resort when it comes to finding the cash you need to make a rent payment.

Renters are especially vulnerable when it comes to economic crises, environmental disasters, and pandemics. If you’re experiencing a financial downturn through no fault of your own, there are organizations and state and federal government programs available to help. 

You may have to use all the ingenuity and creativity you have at your disposal to come up with a solution to resolve this issue. Local resources are often the most reliable and fastest way to solve your immediate problems. State and federal programs can be effective but the approval process takes longer and may not solve an immediate eviction crisis.