Rent Assistance in Alabama

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

ERA Alabama, the state's pandemic rent program, stopped taking applications in December 2022, and the state housing finance authority does not hand out aid to consumers. What remains in Alabama is a patchwork funded through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), which names local grantees each year.

ADECA's latest round, announced December 29, 2025, lists homelessness prevention work in the Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and Shelby County areas and in four northeast counties. That round names no Birmingham grantee, and the Mobile and Montgomery grantees it lists are described as shelter and homeless services. Eviction deadlines are short here, so call Legal Services Alabama as soon as papers arrive.

Where to Start in Alabama

ADECA Emergency Solutions Grant

HUD-funded and run by ADECA, with money going to nonprofits and local governments. Homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing can cover rental assistance, utility assistance, moving costs, case management and limited legal help. ADECA tells people who need direct help to call 211 or contact the Continuum of Care for their county, using the contact list on this page.

Visit website · Phone: 2-1-1 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Alabama Housing Finance Authority

AHFA finances affordable rental properties and has an apartment finder, but its FAQ says it does not directly give aid to consumers or take housing applications. For rental assistance it refers people to the Alabama Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities to find a local public housing authority.

Visit website · Phone: 800-325-2432 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Alabama

Huntsville Housing Helps (Huntsville)

A City of Huntsville program run with the nonprofit Catholic Center of Concern to help with rent, utility payments and deposits. The city's page does not list eligibility or say whether applications are being accepted now.

Visit website · Phone: 256-427-4584 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

One Roof (Birmingham)

Runs Coordinated Entry and the local Continuum of Care in Birmingham, and takes housing assistance requests through a help form on its site. It is a connection point to homeless services, and its home page does not describe a rent payment fund.

Visit website · Phone: 205-254-8833 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

City of Tuscaloosa Emergency Solutions Grant partners (City of Tuscaloosa)

ADECA's December 2025 award of $220,000 funds street outreach, emergency shelter and homelessness prevention in the city through The Salvation Army, SAN Inc. (Turning Point) and Temporary Emergency Services Inc. Ask 211 which partner is handling prevention requests.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Shelby County Emergency Solutions Grant partners (Shelby County)

ADECA's December 2025 award to the Shelby County Commission funds emergency shelter, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing through Family Connection Inc., SafeHouse of Shelby County Inc. and Shelby Emergency Assistance.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

United Way of East Central Alabama (Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb and Etowah counties)

Received an ADECA award in December 2025 for emergency shelter and homelessness prevention in these four counties. Contact them or 211 to learn how prevention requests are taken.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Friendship Mission (Montgomery County)

A Montgomery organization serving homeless individuals and families, funded in ADECA's December 2025 round. ADECA describes homeless services here and does not mention rent payment for people still housed.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Alabama?

Alabama court pages list a seven-day notice for failure to pay rent and a fourteen-day notice for other reasons, and the notice must state your right to pay or correct the problem. Legal Services Alabama counts that seven-day period in business days. Once a complaint for possession is filed, you have seven days to file a written answer, and those are calendar days, including weekends. A default judgment can follow if you do not answer. An appeal is due within seven consecutive days and requires an appeal bond to stop the eviction while it is pending. Court practice can differ by county, so check with your court or a lawyer. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Legal Services Alabama. Free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, including eviction, repair problems and housing discrimination. The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you can also apply online. Older adults have a separate Elder Law Helpline at 1-866-456-3959. Visit website · Phone: 866-456-4995

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

Alabama Programs That Have Closed

You may still see these programs online. Check before you spend time on an application.

  • ERA Alabama: AHFA's Emergency Rental Assistance program opened in March 2021 and stopped accepting applications at 8 a.m. on December 15, 2022. AHFA said at the time that federal funding would be used up in early 2023.

More Help in Alabama

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

Alabama Rent Assistance Questions

Is ERA Alabama still open?

No. AHFA stopped accepting applications on December 15, 2022, and said federal funds would run out in early 2023. Treat any site offering to take ERA Alabama applications now with suspicion. For current help, ADECA points people to 211 or their county's Continuum of Care.

Who helps with back rent in Huntsville?

Huntsville Housing Helps, run with Catholic Center of Concern, is meant to help with rent, utility payments and deposits. Call 256-427-4584 to ask about eligibility and whether funds are available, since the city's page does not say.

Does the Alabama Housing Finance Authority pay rent?

No. AHFA says it does not directly give aid to consumers or take housing applications. It funds affordable rental properties and refers people seeking rental assistance to the Alabama Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities to find a local housing authority.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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