Happy Home InsiderIt’s that time of the month again, and rent is due. You’d love to pay your landlord on time to stay in your home and maintain solid payment history, only there’s a problem: You’re out of money.
What should your next move be? Thinking of the best excuse possible as to why you can’t pay won’t get the job done. And you may not have any friends and family to give you a loan to hold you over. Does this mean you’re out of luck and bound to start sleeping on the street?
STOP!
Do you need a financial reset? If you owe more than $10,000 here is a debt relief resource available to help you today.
Not necessarily, as there are some ways to get emergency help with rent from outside sources. Let’s look at them now so you can get that rent paid:
1. Emergency rental assistance from your state or local housing agency.
If you’re already homeless or are close to being evicted, your city or state may have a rental assistance program to save the day.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can help you locate your closest housing agency via their website. Once you get the contact info, make a call and ask for any programs that offer rental assistance.
When talking to a counselor, explain your situation in detail. Since you need emergency help with rent, stress that your request is extremely time-sensitive and that being on a long waiting list is not an option.
You may have to answer some quick screening questions to determine if you’re even eligible for rental assistance. Then you may have to provide information and documentation, such as your:
- Income
- Assets
- Bank account statements
- Monthly expenses
After you go through this process and submit an application, wait time for temporary rental assistance is usually a couple of weeks. That may vary due to your location, however.
If your state or local housing agency rejects your application for rental assistance, you may still find help via the next option.
2. Emergency rental assistance from a charity or nonprofit organization.
Should you get rejected when trying the first option, ask the local housing agency to refer you to a charity or nonprofit that offers emergency help with rent.
If they cannot point you in the right direction, try to find a HUD-approved housing counselor here. These counselors specialize in government housing assistance programs, but may also know of charities or nonprofits that can help as well.
If a counselor cannot help you find charities or nonprofits to help you pay the rent, use the 211 service to pinpoint them on your own. You can also contact them by dialing 2-1-1 on your phone.
211 offers emergency help for housing, transportation, and other needs. They can quickly tell you where the closest charity or nonprofit is so you can get the rental assistance you need.
Is simply finding a charity or nonprofit that helps with rent the end of your journey? No, as you will still have to provide information and documentation to show eligibility.
