Rent Assistance in Kansas

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.

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program (KERA) closed in early 2023, and the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) does not take rent applications from households directly. Its ongoing route is Tenant Based Rental Assistance, which you apply for through whichever agency KHRC funds in your county.

Local options depend heavily on where you live. KHRC's resource list, updated September 30, 2026, assigns each county to a Community Action agency and adds separate contacts for Douglas, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties. Johnson County's own back-rent program is out of money.

Where to Start in Kansas

Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)

A federally funded HOME program for income-eligible households that can help with rent, security deposits and utility deposits. Use the county selector on KHRC's page to find your local agency, which sets out eligibility and takes the application. Income limits vary by county. The page does not say whether funds are available right now in any given county.

Visit website · Phone: 785-217-2001 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Kansas Community Action agencies

KHRC's list matches counties to agencies. Examples include ECKAN at 785-242-7450 for Johnson, Douglas, Franklin and other east-central counties, Mid-Kansas Community Action at 316-775-3000 for Butler, Reno, Sumner and others, and SEK-CAP at 620-724-8204 for the southeast. Ask each agency what housing help it has now.

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

Local Rent Help in Kansas

Wichita Sedgwick County Community Action Program (Sedgwick County, including Wichita)

The county contact on KHRC's list of housing resources. Call to ask about rent help and current funding.

Visit website · Phone: 316-462-3700 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Eviction Resolution Program, 18th Judicial District (Sedgwick County)

A court program that explains the eviction process and connects landlords and tenants with community services, including mediation. Tenants start with the Tenant Intake Form on the court's site. It is not a source of rent money itself.

Visit website · Phone: 316-660-5659 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Johnson County Aging and Human Services (Johnson County)

The county says its small Rental Assistance Program is for current Multi-Service Center clients in five participating cities, identified by their case managers. Its back-rent page also notes that Metro Lutheran Ministries opens rent and utility applications at 9 a.m. on the 15th of each month, or the following Monday if the 15th is on a weekend.

Visit website · Phone: 913-715-6653 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Equity. Access. Shelter. (EAS) (Shawnee County, including Topeka)

Listed by KHRC as the housing contact for Shawnee County. Call to ask what help is currently available to renters.

Visit website · Phone: 785-368-9533 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Economic Opportunity Foundation (Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas)

KHRC's contact for Wyandotte County. Its listing does not describe a specific rent program, so ask directly.

Visit website · Phone: 913-371-7800 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Housing Stabilization Collaborative (Douglas County, including Lawrence)

KHRC's listed contact for Douglas County housing stability questions.

Visit website · Phone: 785-393-6502 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Kansas?

Kansas Legal Services says a landlord can start an eviction for unpaid rent, or for staying after a lease ends, with a 3-day notice. Other lease violations carry a 14-day period to fix the problem. The court date on your summons falls within 14 days of receiving the petition, and missing it means the landlord automatically wins. A trial, if one is set at that first hearing, is usually no more than 8 days later. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Kansas Legal Services. Nonprofit legal help for low- and moderate-income Kansans in all 105 counties, including renters. Call Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or apply online. Attorneys also see people at the Sedgwick County Courthouse, courtroom 5-5, on Wednesdays, same-day and first come, first served. Visit website · Phone: 316-267-3975

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

Kansas Programs That Have Closed

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

  • Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA): Established in March 2021 and announced as closed by KHRC on February 1, 2023. KHRC says the application portal is no longer accessible and that funding was not enough to cover all applications.
  • Johnson County HOME-ARP Rental Arrears Assistance Program: Johnson County says funding has been fully committed and it is no longer accepting applications.

More Help in Kansas

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.

Kansas Rent Assistance Questions

Is KERA still open in Kansas?

No. KHRC announced the closure on February 1, 2023, and the portal cannot be accessed. Its replacement in practice is local help, starting with Tenant Based Rental Assistance through your county's agency.

Can I get help with a security deposit in Kansas?

Tenant Based Rental Assistance lists security deposits and utility deposits among what it can pay for, for income-eligible households. Your county's funded agency decides eligibility, so call them to learn whether money is available.

Who helps with back rent in Wichita?

Start with the Wichita Sedgwick County Community Action Program at 316-462-3700. If an eviction is underway or threatened, the court's Eviction Resolution Program can connect you with community services and mediation.

Does Johnson County still pay back rent?

Its Rental Arrears Assistance Program has stopped taking applications because funds are committed. The county page points to Metro Lutheran Ministries, which opens rent applications monthly, and to agencies such as Catholic Charities in Olathe at 913-782-4077 and Overland Park at 913-384-6608.

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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