Are you facing financial hardship and need help with rent. Many Americans are facing financial emergency due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Not being able to pay rent can be terrifying for people as most rental agreements have very small grace period and can lead to eviction.
Executive Order by President, the CDC is using its authority to help many american with temporarily eviction prevention by property owners through the end of 2020.
Before you go and get a loan, you should learn about rent relief programs and rental subsidy options that are available in your neighborhood for rent assistance which help pay your rent.
how do i qualify for rent assistance
A low-income family whose income is below 80 percent of the local median income will qualify for government assistance for rent. Take a look at below options to see if any of these might work for you.
Federal Government Assistance for Rent
Non-Profit Rent Assistance Programs
State Or Local Government Rent Assistance Programs
Federal Government Assistance for Rent
Housing Choice Voucher Program allows provides money voucher. Government assistance for rent can be use to pay for all or part of the rent.
As per HUD, Criteria to be eligible for housing voucher which is determined by the Public Housing Authorities are
- Total annual gross income
- Family size
- Limited to US citizens
- Non-citizens who have eligible immigration status
For 2020, HUD budget is $47.9 billions for low-income housing/rent assistance programs.
- 85 percent of budget spent in rent assistance.
- Public housing funding fell by 21 percent between 2010 and 2016.
Most of Section 8 voucher program fund is spent on senior citizens with age above 62 & adults with childerns.
- 47 percent fund spent to help citizens with childerns.
- 21 percent to help elderly.
- 28 percent of available fund help rent assistance for disabled adults.
HUD - Subsidized Housing
HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income Family.
Subsidized housing is owned and operated by private owners who receive subsidies in exchange for renting to low- and moderate-income family.
Owners may be individual landlords or for-profit or nonprofit corporations.
Subsidized housing is obtained via vouchers. The subsidy is used by a tenant to find rental housing in the private market and is paid to a private landlord. This subsidy stays with the tenant.
To be eligible for subsidized housing, your income must be below certain income limits. You must also meet other qualifications.
HUD - Public Housing
The housing authority owns your building for public housing and is your landlord.
low-income apartments are for low-income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Income limits for public housing and vouchers are set by the government and change every year. Income limits for multifamily subsidized housing vary from development to development.
Rent Assistance For Disabled Adults(Section 811)
The Section 811, a rent assistance for disabled adults help pay rent by subsidizing rental housing for extremely low-income disabled.
A family with at least one adult member with a disability such as a physical, developmental disability or chronic mental illness is eligible for this low income housing program.
Program Contact phone no : 202-708-1112
Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Housing section 8 rental program allows you to find your own place and use the voucher to pay for all or part of the rent for any rental property.
Under the Section 8 voucher program, your contribution to rent is fairly simple.
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program will pay the balance of a rent payment to section 8 tenant that exceeds 30% of a renters monthly income.
The formula to calculate the amount paid to your section 8 tenant by the assistance looks like this. So, if your monthly income is $2,000, you would pay $600 toward the rent ($2,000 X 30%).
Non-Profit Rent Assistance Programs
There are many local non-profit organizations such as churches, parishes, county social services that offer community service to low income families. Most of these organizations make direct payments to your landlord.
If they are not able to help you pay rent assistance, they can help you in getting touch with non-profits that can.
Financial Help For Low Income Housing Programs
Catholic Charities – provide financial help, cash assistance, affordable housing, refugee services and other resources in a crisis to needy families. They help people who are struggling with poverty and other complex issues.
They provide emergency shelter and bridge and crisis housing programs. Homeless individuals are offered a safe haven and the tools needed to lead self-sufficient lives.
Single Mothers Home Sharing
Another option that you should explore is to share your housing expenses with someone in similar situation.
Organizations such as CoAbode help put single mothers in contact with other moms so that they can share their housing expenses.
The House Share program welcomes any mothers raising children alone whether because of divorce, circumstance, or due to the death of a partner.
The majority of those currently registered with CoAbode are between the ages of 25 and 49 (89%).
Home Share Program - Affordable Housing
The Home Share Program provides a homeowner who wants to share home with access to affordable housing.
They matches individuals together. Each client application is reviewed and screened by doing background checks.
Staff will put Home Providers (people who have a room to rent) in contact with Home Seekers, who are individuals looking for a room or place to rent.
The arrangement will be custom made as it is well known that matches parties together is not a simple or quick process.
Affordable Apartments For Low-Income Families
The charity operates housing in most states. The apartment units are for low income families or individuals.
There are also a number of homes dedicated to senior citizens, the disabled, veterans, or single moms and parents.
This is one of the nation’s leading faith based charities when it comes to providing affordable housing and case management services.
Senior Housing - Income Based Apartments
National Church Residences provides permanent housing to senior individuals and families with limited income.
They do focus on senior citizens and the elderly, but low income apartments may also be available for any formerly homeless individuals, single parents or moms, and the disabled.
If you’re looking to qualify for our senior affordable housing, you will need to apply through your local Housing Authority.
Homeless housing and prevention services
Homeless prevention is always the first goal, it also costs less money to provide short term help then it does to provide shelter or other rehousing services.
The National Coalition for the Homeless has some information on local agencies that can offer emergency financial help to pay rent or a utility bill.
Another goal is to try to get every individual and family into some form of safe and affordable housing, whether it is an apartment or some other type of center.
Salvation Army Rent Assistance
Housing & Rent Assistance Programs
When a family faces financial hardship, the Salvation Army may offer financial assistance to pay rent, medical bills, or free basic needs.
The Salvation Army can assist single women, seniors, families with children, and those at risk of losing their permanent housing.
Many Salvation Army rent assistance programs are short term or seasonal in nature.
The Salvation Army is focused on preventing homelessness in the communities.
Resources are always limited, and eligibility requirements need to be met.
Suppose a family is faced with an eviction. In that case, a local Salvation Army Family Service center may have funding available for emergency rental assistance, utility bills, food.
A local Salvation Army service office may have information on what short term transitional rental units or apartments are available in each town or city.
Most of these organizations do have some limitations and qualifications criteria for providing the help.
State or Local Government Rent Assistance Programs
Your state or local government have programs provided by local public housing agency provide rent assistance.
The rent assistance is offered by issuing free grants.
Each state run program is focused on offering short term financial assistance to help pay a portion of the rent that is due, and this is done in an effort to reduce homelessness in the community.
The goal is to provide temporary rent assistance to low to moderate income tenants.
State & City Funded Rental Housing Programs
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes.
NLIHC goals are to preserve existing federally assisted homes and housing resources, expand the supply of low income housing, and establish housing stability as the primary purpose of federal low income housing policy.
North Carolina Rent Assistance Programs
North Carolina Public Housing Agency
There are 15 Public housing agencies in North Carolina who help residents of the state with section 8 voucher funded by HUD.
HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income tenants.
Caring Community - Help with Rent to Cancer Patient
The Caring Community Foundation is a charitable organization that provides financial support to cancer patients.
It help cancer patients with rent assistance, treatment or other expenses that become difficult to manage during cancer treatment.
Below are eligibility criteria
- Do you live in North Carolina?
- Are you currently in treatment for cancer at a hospital or clinic in Wake, Durham, Orange or Johnston County?
Indian Housing Authority - Housing Assistance Program
The North Carolina Indian Housing Authority is empowered to provide rental housing, down payment assistance for low income Native Americans.
Below are eligibility criteria
- Do you live in North Carolina?
- Are you Native American Indian?
How to Apply?
- Phone: 910-483-5073
- Contact the housing assistance agency at the phone number above, or via the website if available.
Lumbee Tribe Rent Assistance Program
The mission of The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Housing Department is to provide affordable, safe, and sanitary housing options for eligible Lumbee Indian families.
You must live in any of the counties
- Cumberland
- Hoke
- Robeson
- Scotland
How to Apply?
- Phone: 910-521-7861
- Contact the housing assistance agency at the phone number above, or via the website if available.
Rent Assistance for North Carolinians with Disabilities
The shortage of affordable housing has implications for all North Carolinians.
Extremely low-income people with disabilities often have even more limited options without a source of rental assistance programs.
This housing assistance grant will provide $7 million for emergency rental assistance to approximately 188 apartments for extremely low-income people with disabilities facing financial hardship.
Below are eligibility criteria
- Do you live in North Carolina?
- Extremely low-income persons
- A person with disabilities aged 18-61
Start your search to find all eligible rent assistance program. Final decision on whether financial aid is granted or not is up to the organization.