Rent Assistance in Mississippi

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.

Mississippi Home Corporation's RAMP program is closed, and its page warns that Facebook ads and pages claiming to be RAMP are a scam. The main rent route left is the Community Services Block Grant, run through the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS). You start with an online pre-application at Access MS and then attend an appointment at your Community Action Agency.

That process is not quick. MDHS allows up to 30 business days to schedule an appointment for elderly or disabled applicants and families with a child 5 or under, and 45 days for everyone else. Eviction timelines can be much shorter, so tenants with a notice should also call the Mississippi Center for Justice hotline.

Where to Start in Mississippi

MDHS Community Services Block Grant rental assistance

Funding may be available for rental assistance through local Community Action Agencies, generally for income within 125% of federal poverty guidelines. Submit a pre-application on Access MS and mark Community Services, then watch for a letter with your appointment. If approved, the agency pays your landlord directly. Go to the appointment even if some documents are missing.

Visit website · Phone: 1-800-421-0762 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Mississippi Center for Justice housing stability hotline

Helps tenants across the state ask for continuances in justice court, negotiate payment plans, understand eviction notices and prepare letters to landlords. Its attorneys may provide direct eviction defense in Harrison, Jackson and Hancock counties.

Visit website · Phone: 228-702-9983 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

CHOICE (Mississippi Home Corporation)

Rental help for adults with a serious mental illness, by referral through a partnership with the Department of Mental Health, the Division of Medicaid and Community Mental Health Centers. Priority groups include people leaving a state psychiatric hospital and people without a regular nighttime residence. Tenants generally pay 15% of income toward rent, and CHOICE may also cover deposits and arrears depending on need. Referrals go to choice.referral@mshc.com. The page does not state whether it is taking new referrals now.

Visit website · Phone: 228-604-2048 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Mississippi

Hinds County Human Resource Agency (Hinds County, including Jackson)

The Community Action Agency MDHS lists at 258 Maddox Road in Jackson. Applications start with the Access MS pre-application, and the office can tell you about appointments.

Visit website · Phone: 601-923-3950 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Community Action of South Mississippi, Gulfport office (Gulfport area)

Listed by MDHS at 500 24th Avenue in Gulfport. Ask which coastal counties this office handles and whether rent funds remain.

Visit website · Phone: 228-284-6772 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Pearl River Valley Opportunity, Hattiesburg office (Hattiesburg area)

MDHS lists this Community Action office at 100 West Front Street in Hattiesburg. MDHS's page does not say which counties it serves, so confirm when you call.

Visit website · Phone: 601-545-8110 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Mississippi?

Mississippi legal aid guides say a landlord can end a lease for unpaid rent after 3 days' written notice, and paying the full amount within that time stops the eviction. Other serious breaches call for 30 days' written notice, as does ending a month-to-month tenancy. Their guides date from before 2022, when Mississippi law changed significantly. The Mississippi Center for Justice says tenants now have at least seven days after an eviction hearing to move, unless a court sets a different period. Ask legal aid to confirm current rules for your case. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Mississippi Center for Legal Services and North Mississippi Rural Legal Services. These two programs maintain MSLegalServices.org and handle civil legal help for low-income residents. The number here is Mississippi Center for Legal Services' intake hotline. North Mississippi Rural Legal Services' intake hotline is 1-800-898-8731, and its online intake was temporarily closed at this check. Visit website · Phone: 1-800-519-2915

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

Mississippi Programs That Have Closed

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

  • RAMP (Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program): Mississippi Home Corporation's page states that the RAMP program is closed and warns that Facebook ads or pages claiming to be RAMP are a scam. The page does not give a closing date.

More Help in Mississippi

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.

Mississippi Rent Assistance Questions

Is the RAMP program still open in Mississippi?

No. Mississippi Home Corporation's page says the RAMP program is closed. It also warns that Facebook ads or pages claiming to be RAMP are a scam, so do not give personal information or money to them.

How do I apply for rent help through a Community Action Agency in Mississippi?

Submit a pre-application on Access MS at access.ms.gov and mark Community Services as a program. MDHS then sends a letter with an appointment date at your local agency. Staff complete the full application with you there, and if you are approved, the agency pays your landlord directly.

How long does Mississippi rent help take?

MDHS says appointments are set within 30 business days for elderly or disabled applicants and families with a child age 5 or under, and within 45 days for others. Decisions come after that by letter. If you already have an eviction notice, call the Mississippi Center for Justice hotline at 228-702-9983 too.

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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