Rent Assistance in Idaho

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.

Idaho moves fast once rent is late: state law allows a three-day notice before a landlord can go to court. The clearest emergency rent option we could verify is regional. Jesse Tree serves the Treasure Valley, including Ada and Canyon counties, and only takes people who already have a pay-or-quit notice or a court summons.

Elsewhere, start with the 211 Idaho CareLine, run by the Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho Housing and Finance Association runs Housing Choice Vouchers in 34 of 44 counties, but waits can run past two years, so vouchers are not a fix for a current notice.

Where to Start in Idaho

211 Idaho CareLine

A free statewide referral line run by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm Mountain. Dial 211 or the toll-free number, or text 898211.

Visit website · Phone: 800-926-2588 · Accepting applications when last checked

Idaho Housing Choice Vouchers

Long-term help run by Idaho Housing and Finance Association. Renters pay about 30% of adjusted income toward rent and the program pays the rest to the landlord. Waits vary from several months to more than two years. It does not serve Ada, Adams, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley or Washington counties or Pocatello, where you apply through the local housing authority.

Visit website · Phone: 855-505-4700 · Waitlist when last checked

Idaho Housing Access Points

Idaho Housing's rental assistance page says Access Points connect Idahoans who are homeless or at risk with housing professionals. It also offers free housing counseling on how to stay in safe rental housing.

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

Local Rent Help in Idaho

Jesse Tree emergency rental assistance (Treasure Valley, including Ada and Canyon counties)

Join the waitlist online if you have a pay-or-quit notice or an eviction court summons and income at or below 80% of Area Median Income. It can take up to 3 weeks to learn whether you get a case manager, and aid is not assured. People with only a 30-day non-renewal notice, a Sheriff's Order, a landlord who is a relative, or who stay in motels or sober-living housing can't receive help. Phone hours are weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm.

Visit website · Phone: 208-383-9486 · Waitlist when last checked

Idaho Housing Coeur d'Alene branch (Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties)

Voucher office for northern Idaho. Toll-free at 866-621-2994.

Visit website · Phone: 208-762-5113 · Waitlist when last checked

Idaho Housing Idaho Falls branch (Bonneville, Bannock, Bingham, Madison and other eastern Idaho counties)

Voucher office for eastern Idaho. Toll-free at 866-684-3756.

Visit website · Phone: 208-522-6002 · Waitlist when last checked

Idaho Housing Twin Falls branch (Twin Falls, Blaine, Cassia, Jerome, Minidoka and other Magic Valley counties)

Voucher office for south central Idaho. Toll-free at 866-234-3435.

Visit website · Phone: 208-734-8531 · Waitlist when last checked

Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership (Eastern Idaho)

Lists family and senior housing properties. Its home page does not describe rent payments, so ask about current help when you call. Toll-free at 1-800-632-4813.

Visit website · Phone: 208-522-5391 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Idaho?

Idaho Code 6-303 allows eviction for nonpayment after three days' written notice requiring payment, stating the amount due, or possession of the property. The notice must also tell a residential tenant that if a court enters judgment, the tenant will have 72 hours to remove belongings before the landlord may dispose of them. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Idaho Legal Aid Services. The Idaho Court Assistance Office says all Idaho Legal Aid offices and hotlines can be reached through this one statewide number. Visit website · Phone: 208-746-7541

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

More Help in Idaho

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.

Idaho Rent Assistance Questions

Can Jesse Tree help if I'm behind on rent but have no notice?

Jesse Tree says it cannot pay rent in that case. Its waitlist is only for tenants with a pay-or-quit notice or an eviction court summons. Its Tenant Resource Center offers information before a notice arrives, at 208-383-9486.

How fast can an eviction happen in Idaho?

The notice for nonpayment is three days. Jesse Tree's Tenant Resource Center says a hearing is scheduled 5 to 12 days after filing, and that you may have to leave within 72 hours if the judge rules against you. Times can vary, so call Idaho Legal Aid at 208-746-7541 as soon as you have a notice.

Is there security deposit help in Idaho?

Jesse Tree's Tenant Resource Center points households with children under 18 to the 211 Idaho CareLine for security deposit navigation. Dial 211 or 800-926-2588.

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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