ByCharities That Will Help With Your Rent
When you find you can't pay your rent, you want to find a way to pay it as quickly as possible. Tenants in the US got a huge break with the eviction moratorium during the height of Covid. Now that landlords can begin eviction proceedings again, many renters find themselves scrambling to come up with rent money. While there are several government programs to help renters, applying for those grants is time-consuming at a time when you need the funds right away.
Large and medium-sized cities, and even some small towns, have resources available for emergency housing help. What many people may not know is that there are and non-profit organizations that offer help with housing costs. Keep reading to learn how DoNotPay can help you find and apply for that assistance.
What to Do if You Need Help With Your Rent
As soon as you realize you're in trouble, start taking steps to fix the problem. Getting is made easier with DoNotPay.
- Read your lease. There is information there on your rights if you can't pay your rent
- Let your landlord know you're having trouble. Try to work out a partial payment arrangement if you can, but communicating with your landlord is critical. If you've been a good tenant, they would probably rather work with you than find a new renter.
- Get advice on what your next steps should be. Contact the aid department in your community for free assistance.
Contact 211
Call 211 to find your local resources for housing assistance. 211 is a lot like 911, but to access help for various services, either government programs or private organizations. The call center will access local databases for your needs from both public and private human service agencies and refer you directly to the organizations that can help.
211 is the best place to start finding options for help with your housing costs. You'll get immediate assistance, so you'll know to contact the right agency. When you call, be sure you can answer basic questions about your current housing situation, how many dependents live with you, and your income. If you need to call for additional help, the number is (888) 225-5322.
Here are three of the largest nonprofits who either directly provide housing assistance, or can get you in touch with organizations who can help out quickly.
Catholic Charities
The national Catholic Church offers lots of emergency social relief, and you do not have to be Catholic to be eligible for the services. Catholic Charities is the umbrella organization that oversees all the programs that the Church offers.
They do offer several emergency housing services, from helping evicted residents find temporary housing to short-term rental assistance. When you seek help from Catholic Charities, you'll get a caseworker who will show you how to find assistance on your own, including finding money for security deposits and the first month's rent.
United Way
The United Way is easily accessible by calling 211 and can provide emergency assistance for a broad range of needs. They don't have their own money for assistance, but they do have the broadest range of resources for the assistance of any kind, whether it's from the government, churches, or other charitable organizations. They distribute support in the form of loans, cash grants, and other things, such as free help.
The United Way is probably the only resource that has programs that earmark aid for specific types of tenants. Here are some of those who can qualify for dedicated assistance.
- Veterans
- Disabled
- Single parents
- Seniors
- Pregnant teens
Salvation Army
Those red kettles you see everywhere at Christmas do go towards helping people in need. Since the pandemic began, the Salvation Army has distributed over $112 million in housing assistance. The organization focuses on preventing homelessness by helping with rent, providing temporary housing, and helping renters find more affordable housing. They don't limit their aid to families; they also help single women, seniors, and anyone at risk of losing their housing.
Each Salvation Army has Family Services that may have funding available for rent assistance. During hard times the Salvation Army in a small town may not be able to offer help, but they can put you in touch with other organizations that can provide immediate relief.
Don't Get Overwhelmed When You Need Assistance
If you need help with the rent, it's easy to get overwhelmed trying to figure out how to ask for help. DoNotPay can take that stress away by handling applications and paperwork for you. Here's how it works.
How to Apply for Charitable Housing Assistance With DoNotPay
We can compose a letter to your local housing authority based on your situation and inquire about your best options for receiving assistance. Here are the 4 steps:
- Search for Rental Assistance on DoNotPay.
- Put together a list of your income, debts, expenses, and assets. If you need help accessing information like your credit report, DoNotPay can help you get your report.
- Let DoNotPay collect your basic information and compose a letter to your local housing authority requesting rental assistance.
- Lastly, DoNotPay will send your letter to your local housing authority.
DoNotPay Can Help You Get Back on Your Feet
When you need financial help, chances are that you've gotten behind on other bills, too. DoNotPay has the expertise to find the solutions to your problems and help you start solving them. Here are some of the things we've done to help others in a financial emergency.
- Remove collections from credit reports
- Find and apply for college scholarships
- Inflation pay request
- Help with payday loans
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
- Rental Housing Assistance Program
- Rental Assistance
- ERAP
- Government Assistance for Rent
- Paying Rent Today
- Resources for Rental Assistance
- Get Help With Rent
- How Long Does It Take to Get Rental Assistance?
- HUD Rental Assistance
- Paying Rent to Avoid Eviction
Helping you with rental assistance is only a drop in the bucket of our services. These are just a few examples of how we can advocate for you:
- Paying bills
- Discovering and applying for scholarships
- DMV appointments
- Filing a complaint
- Missing money issues
- Reduction of property taxes
- Free trials
- Small claims court
When life throws you a curveball, remember that DoNotPay has an entire team in the outfield to help you solve your problems.