A lot of people worry about how they will handle their housing costs. If you are someone who deals with that stress, you are not alone. In fact, according to Affordable Housing Finance, 75% of Americans stress about the possibility of losing their home. Luckily, there is a form of emergency housing assistance that may be able to help those in need.

Understanding Emergency Housing Assistance

There is emergency assistance from a local, state, and federal level. However, you will more commonly see available local and state options. This is good news to people in need because it means that there are plenty of options to choose from. Emergency Housing Assistance Programs will vary based on the type of program and where it is offered. However, a good rule of thumb is to expect these programs to basically act as a form of temporary housing or housing cost relief. Emergency rental assistance may be able to help with the costs of:

• Late fees (within reason)
• Internet services
• Moving expenses
• Security deposits
• Application fees
• Screening Fees
• Rental-related fees
• Housing counseling
• Legal representation
• Housing Stability Services

How to Apply for Emergency Housing Assistance

If you want to find emergency housing assistance options near you, you will need to first check with your local public housing authority (PHA). Your PHA is a great source of information about what programs are available for people in your locality and state. They may also be able to tell you about federal options as well! When it comes time to submit an application they can even be able to help you through the application process depending on what assistance option you decided to apply for. These applications are free so you may benefit from submitting more than one.

Commonly Asked Questions

A lot of people are curious as to how emergency housing assistance can help them! There are some common questions that people have that you may have as well.

Are You Eligible to Receive Emergency Housing Assistance

You will be able to confirm your eligibility with your local PHA. However you can expect to need to meet income requirements based on your area and have a valid citizenship status. Other qualifying criteria will vary so you need to check what’s specific to you.

Are All Properties Eligible for Rental Assistance?

You should confirm with your locality but generally apartments, single family detached/housing units, semi-detached/row houses, single room occupancy, duplex, and manufactured housing units are eligible for rental assistance support.