RENTING

Rental Assistance

Whether or not you have rental assistance, there are resources to help find affordable and or accessible housing. There are several Federal and State programs that provide financial assistance to help pay your rent, these types of programs are commonly called rental assistance.

Important Information:

If you apply for public housing:

• Follow up and make sure the application was received and that all the necessary information was provided.  Ask how often you can call to check your application status.  Be sure to follow up with periodic calls to see that your application is still active, and where you are on the list.
• Be sure to find out how long they will hold your application - you may need to renew it on a regular basis.
• If your circumstances change, be sure to update your application by phone and follow up with a letter.

Note: Periodically you will receive requests for additional information or to verify that you are still interested.  It is very important that you reply.  It may also be helpful to request that a friend, advocate, or family member receive a copy of any written communications.

Need Help Paying Your Rent?  These programs could help:

Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 Voucher Program)*:  This rental assistance is provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  You may be eligible for rental assistance which can lower the amount of money you spend on housing.  The program is administered through local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) that provide rental subsidies to very low-income households. *Helpful Tip:  Often you may be told that there is a 6- month to over 5-year waiting list, but if it is something you would consider, apply anyway!

• Click here for more information on the Section 8 program.
• Click here to review the publication:  "Section 8 Made Simple" (PDF) 
• Click here for contact information of your Local Public Housing Authority 

Rental Allowance Program (RAP) is a state administered program that funds local governments to provide flat rent subsidies to low-income families who either are homeless or have an emergency housing need.  The goal of this program is to enable households to move from homelessness or temporary emergency housing into more permanent housing.  This program provides a monthly rental allowance payment for up to 12 months.  Click here for more information on the Rental Allowance Program.

To find out more about the RAP in your county, click here for the RAP Local Administering Agencies Contact List.

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