How to Get Emergency Rent Assistance

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Emergency Rent Assistance.  Are you past due with rent? First, charities, churches, and other places offer rental assistance. Secondly, many agencies provide food, utility, and prescriptions.

Both private and public non-profits support families through financial hardships.  Finally, if you cannot pay rent or facing eviction and cannot pay your most important bill, you probably need immediate help!

Where Can I Get Emergency Rent Assistance?

Each state has housing assistance for families who experience housing instability. Most importantly, rental assistance programs help the elderly, disadvantaged, and disabled in the community. These programs use emergency funds to pay rent and late utilities directly to your provider.

Some of these funds are funneled through churches, government programs, and private charities in your city.  Other states have charities like the Salvation Army, HUD, Catholic Charities, and community outreach programs that help with rental arrears.

Community Action Programs

You will be glad to know that there are programs in every city that will help you with emergency help paying rent or mortgage payments.  They can help with security deposits on new apartments or rentals. Each organization may have slightly different rules and obligations you must fulfill to receive emergency rental assistance.

These Organizations Help with Rent

Church Rent Assistance Programs

Many large churches in your community receive money from member donations, and the federal government provides rent relief to disadvantaged families and individuals.  It doesn’t matter that you are not a member or a Christian to receive help.  

These charities not only give rental assistance, but they also help with your mortgage, food, and clothing from the pantry.  You are not alone in this, and there are places you can get emergency rental assistance.

The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program funds local social agencies to help disadvantaged individuals and families re-house and prevent homelessness. The goal is to provide short-termed financial aid to stabilize families.

Do I Qualify for Eviction Prevention Assistance?

During COVID, there was a moratorium on rent. During the pandemic, people who lost their jobs due to the lockdown did not have to pay rent or utilities. Now that the crisis has passed, many are left with high utility bills and past-due rents.

Those who need help will be screened to see if they qualify.  Make sure to take your social security card, picture identification, work pay stubs, unemployment verification, and a few bills that will verify what you are telling them.  Also, have the name, address, and telephone number of your landlord or mortgage agent.

If funds are available to help you, your landlord or mortgage will be contacted, and they will receive the money directly. Many organizations only give you a portion of the money you might need. You will have to go to several organizations to receive rental assistance.

These Charities Give Rental Assistance

Charities like The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, or the Red Cross may provide emergency help with rent assistance. Eligible tenants with low incomes can receive  Go online to Local Independent Charities of America to locate a charity that can give you the help you need. (800) 876-0413.  

Red Cross

This organization has been one of the first responders to disasters since 1859. The mission of the Red Cross has grown from helping wounded soldiers to helping people experiencing disasters everywhere.

The United Way

This is a one-stop resource to help you find financial help with bills and other emergency issues. You can reach The United Way by calling 2-1-1 or going to their website.

The Salvation Army Rent Assistance

The Salvation Army provides help in many area to struggling families. Rent Assistance is one type of support they offer.  This rent assistance program helps low-income families with rent, utilities, and other family issues. If you are looking for help, please contact the Salvation Army. If approved, they will make a rental payment directly to your landlord.

Catholic Charities

This organization provides help with free dental clinics, temporary shelters, disaster relief, food pantries, Christmas assistance, etc. Contact Catholic Charities for help.

*In America, an umbrella organization that only provides services to its member charities and does not directly provide assistance.

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How do Churches Help with Rent?

Many large and even smaller churches in your community offer housing relief programs.  They receive money from member donations and the government to assist the poor.

When going for help, bring your social security card, picture identification, work pay stubs, proof of unemployment, and a few bills that will verify what you are telling them.  Also, have the name, address, and telephone number of your landlord or mortgage agent.

If funds are available to help you, your landlord or mortgage will be contacted, and they will receive the money directly. Many organizations only give you a portion of the money you might need so that they can help more people. This means you will have to go to several organizations to get all your rent paid.

What Government Organizations give Emergency Rent Assistance?

Department of Social Services Offer Eviction Prevention

Go online, or call the Department of Social Service in your area. You will save a lot of time if you do most of your searching online. If you do not have a computer, go to the local library. You don’t have to receive government assistance to receive aid from the social services department.

Often you can go to them for one-time help to pay rent if you are behind and for emergency food stamps. Once you sit down with a worker, let them know everything you need. Keep in mind to bring all the documentation you need to receive services. If you are looking for affordable housing, state housing program offer programs with no waiting lists.

HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Rent Assistance

HUD not only helps low-income residents purchase homes but also gives help with eviction prevention and foreclosure. Do they provide security deposits on new housing?

Over a million families use HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) each year. They are an excellent resource for the poor, disabled, and elderly to find private and public housing. They also assist with the following:

  • Buying a Home
  • Homelessness Assistance
  • Down Payment Assistance
  • Security Deposits
  • Buying a HUD Home
  • Rent Assistance and Section 8 Programs

Remember:

  • Don’t freak out
  • Look online for help.
  • Have all your documentation available
  • Get each agency a list of other charities that help.
  • Ask for other services like food, clothing, and furniture.

In Conclusion

If you need emergency assistance with rent, try the organizations posted above. The process is the following:

  1. Contact the organization
  2. Find out if they have funding available
  3. Make an appointment
  4. Bring all the necessary documents needed to apply for help.
  5. Try to be patient

Pamela Lipscomb

We understand that finding financial assistance can be daunting and stressful. Please remember that the information we provide is for informational purposes only. For personalized guidance and support, we strongly encourage you to consult with financial advisors, legal professionals, or the program providers directly. Follow us on Facebook

290 thoughts on “How to Get Emergency Rent Assistance

  1. GOD BLESS YOU for your posting. This will help many “desperate folks” in need of a little relief. Myself included. You are correct in the fact that it is up to the individual in a crisis situation to “SEEK OUT & INQUIRE” because even though there are programs that will help, they will not advertise them. In fact, I experienced this first hand. I was actually lied to about a program that was available, & the entity that runs the program, ( a supervisor at that), claimed the never heard about it. Now because my printer is out of ink, (I AM DISABLED & IN A WHEELCHAIR), IT is up to me to go to the library, look up the website that I found the program in, & take it back to this ” FEDERAL AGENCY”, & Show them the program exists. Yes my friends, you will have to go through many obsticals, but the help is out there. What bothers me is I understand why these programs are not advertised, but for people to lie & say they never heard of such programs when its their job to help, thats just wrong. Anyway, I suggest that as you go through your struggle, ” PRAY FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” to give you guidance.IF YOU KNOW HIM, YOU ALREADY KNOW ” HIS TIMING IS JUST & PERFECT”, HE WILL PROVIDE! HE LOVES YOU & WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. STAND STRONG ON YOUR FAITH, FOR HE SEEKS OUT THE DOWNTRODDEN, THE POOR, THE HURT, & THE LIKE, & BY HIS STRIPES, YOU WILL BE HEALED & PROVIDED FOR. ALSO, ” DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME! THAT Will happen for whatever reason. Thats the enemy (satan) trying to get pleasure out of your suffering & circumstances. REFUSE TO LET him TAKE PLEASURE IN THIS.THE MORE YOU PRAY & SEEK THE LORDS HELP, REMEMBER, THATS EXACTLY WHAT CHRIST IS THERE FOR!! HE LOVES YOU, HE KNOWS THE NUMBERS OF HAIRS ON YOUR HEAD, DONT YOU THINK HE KNOWS YOUR SUFFERING CIRCUMSTANCES?? I am in those circumstances myself right now, but I know, by faith alone, THE LORD WILL PROVIDE A WAY. JUST WHEN YOU ARE READY TO GIVE UP, ” STOP RIGHT THERE” PAUSE, & ASK THE LORD FOR GUIDANCE. I PRAY ON THIS DAY THAT THE ” LORD JESUS CHRIST” will not only provide an avenue for my circumstances, but also for each of you who took the time to read this. Finally, I want you to know that I did not intend to even mention CHRIST in this, I was looking for help myself,& the “HOLY SPIRIT” came upon me to share these words with you. Thats how GOD WORKS! HE takes one persons suffering & turns it into good for others. Thanks for your time & “GOD BLESS YOU”!!! L.K.

    1. Lee, thank you so much for your comment and your words of inspiration to me and those who will read this. I was very encouraged by your prophetic words and prayer. God bless you too Lee, and please come back again! You are a blessing!

    2. LEE, YES MOVE WHEN GOD TELL YOU TO! I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN! IT HAPPENS TO ME ALSO! THE SPIRIT OF SPEAKING WHEN GOD TELLS YOU TO MOVE! LOOKING FOR HELP FOR MY NEIGHBOR AND STUMBLED UPON YOUR WORDS! BUT, THEY WERE MEANT FOR ME! THANK FOR STARTING MY MORNING OFF WITH GREATNESS THIS BEAUTIFUL MORNING! THAT THE LORD HAS MADE!

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