Rent Assistance in Florida

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.

Rent help in Florida is almost entirely local. Florida Housing Finance Corporation's renter page offers a rental search tool rather than rent payments, and the Department of Children and Families routes homelessness funds through local Continuum of Care lead agencies.

Several big-metro programs are limited right now. Tampa stopped taking new applications to its move-in program on November 1, 2026, and Miami-Dade says its Community Services rent and mortgage aid is on hold until more funding arrives. Orange County and Jacksonville still describe one-time help that starts with a phone call.

Florida's eviction deadlines are short, so if you have been served, deal with the court papers while you look for money.

Where to Start in Florida

Continuum of Care lead agencies (Florida DCF)

DCF's Office on Homelessness lists a lead agency and phone number for each county. These agencies receive Emergency Solutions Grant money and subcontract with local partners, and DCF's grant page names homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing as goals. Use the list to find who covers your county.

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

FloridaHousingSearch.org (Florida Housing Finance Corporation)

The state housing finance agency's free locator for affordable rentals, showing vacancies, rents and deposits. It helps you find a unit and does not pay rent.

Visit website · Phone: (850) 488-4197 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The state consumer agency takes landlord and tenant questions and complaints. It does not provide rent money or legal advice on your case.

Visit website · Phone: 1-800-435-7352 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Florida

Tampa Rental and Move-In Assistance Program (RMAP) (City of Tampa)

Paused: the city stopped taking new applications on November 1, 2026 and expects to reopen in January 2027. This program covers move-in costs only, up to $10,000 per household per the city, and cannot pay back rent or help with a current lease. It requires a unit inside city limits with a move-in date within 45 days. Apply only through the city portal, since the city warns about people charging for access.

Visit website · Phone: 813-307-5555 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Hillsborough County Social Services (Hillsborough County, including Tampa)

Case management and stabilization for low-income county residents through four Community Resource Centers, reached through one call center. The county's page does not name a rent payment program, so ask what is available. DCF lists the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative at (813) 223-6115 as the county's Continuum of Care lead.

Visit website · Phone: (813) 272-5220 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Orange County Crisis Assistance Program (Orange County, including Orlando)

One-time help with rent, mortgage or utilities for residents of at least 90 days who have a documented unforeseen event in the past 30 to 60 days and can show one payment would resolve the problem. Call to be screened for an appointment, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments go to the first callers.

Visit website · Phone: 407-836-6500 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Jacksonville Emergency Financial Assistance (Duval County, including Jacksonville)

City help for Duval County residents with income up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, a documentable crisis, and a delinquent or eviction notice. You cannot have received this help in the past 24 months. Call the appointment line when it opens at 9:30 a.m. on weekdays. Next-day slots fill quickly, and court-ordered evictions get priority.

Visit website · Phone: (904) 255-2469 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Miami-Dade Community Services Department (Miami-Dade County)

On hold: the county says rental assistance of up to $1,000 and first-month rent help of up to $1,000 are temporarily stopped until more funding is available. Ask whether funding has resumed. For other housing help, the county's Office of Housing Advocacy hotline is 786-469-4545.

Visit website · Phone: 786-469-4600 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Broward Homeless Initiative Partnership (Broward County)

DCF's listed Continuum of Care lead for Broward, the place to ask about prevention and rehousing providers. In Palm Beach County, DCF lists Human and Veteran Services at (561) 355-4778.

Visit website · Phone: (954) 563-4357 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Florida?

For unpaid rent, a Florida landlord must give written notice allowing three days to pay or leave, not counting weekends, legal holidays or the day you received it. After being served with the lawsuit, you have five days to file an answer and deposit the rent you agree you owe into the court registry. If you dispute the amount, file a Motion to Determine Rent with the answer. After a judgment, the sheriff posts a notice giving 24 hours to move. Lockouts and utility shutoffs by a landlord are illegal. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Florida Law Help. A directory of free and low-cost civil legal aid groups searchable by county, with eviction guides and answer resources. In Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, Bay Area Legal Services offers free legal help at (800) 625-2257, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit website

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

Florida Programs That Have Closed

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

  • Miami-Dade Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP): Miami-Dade's page states that ERAP is now closed, without giving a date. The county refers residents to its Housing Advocacy hotline at 786-469-4545.
  • Orange County Emergency Rental Assistance (ERAP2): Orange County's federally funded COVID-era rental program. The county lists it as closed and sends residents to the Crisis Assistance Program.

More Help in Florida

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.

Florida Rent Assistance Questions

Is rental assistance open in Tampa right now?

Tampa's RMAP is paused for new applications from November 1, 2026, with reopening expected in January 2027, and it only covers move-in costs. For back rent, call Hillsborough County's Call Center at (813) 272-5220 and ask what is available, or the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative at (813) 223-6115 if you may lose your housing.

Does Florida have a statewide rent assistance program?

We did not find one open on the official state pages we reviewed. Florida Housing's renter page offers a housing search tool, and DCF funds local agencies. Your county is the place to look.

Can a Florida program pay my security deposit?

Tampa's RMAP has covered security deposits and first and last month's rent for new leases, but it is paused. Other programs on this page describe rent or crisis help, so ask your county what it allows.

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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