Emergency Rental Assistance: How to Get Help Before Eviction

What emergency rental assistance covers

Emergency rental assistance programs (sometimes called ERA, eviction prevention, or homeless prevention) provide one-time or short-term help to families facing imminent housing loss. Programs vary, but most can pay:

• One or several months of back rent directly to your landlord
• Future rent (typically 1–3 months forward)
• Security deposits for new housing
• Utility arrears that affect housing stability
• Hotel/motel costs for very short-term stabilization

The goal is to keep families housed before eviction — which is much cheaper than re-housing someone after homelessness.

Need help right now? Call 211 — your local United Way operator can tell you which emergency rental programs in your area are currently funded and accepting applications. 24/7 in most areas.

Who runs these programs

There's no single national program (the federal pandemic-era Emergency Rental Assistance Program ended in 2023). Today, emergency rental help comes from a patchwork:

• State housing finance agencies — some states have ongoing rental assistance programs
• County/city departments — many counties have homeless prevention funds
• Community Action Agencies (CAAs) — non-profit network in nearly every county
• Faith-based charities — Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Lutheran Services
• Tenant unions and legal aid organizations

Who qualifies

Most programs require:

• Income at or below 50–80% of Area Median Income (varies by program)
• Documented hardship — job loss, medical emergency, domestic violence, etc.
• A real eviction risk — past-due rent notice, eviction filing, etc.
• A landlord willing to accept payment and pause/cancel the eviction
• U.S. residency — citizenship not always required; rules vary

How to apply — fast

When eviction is imminent, time matters. Work in parallel:

1. Call 211 immediately — they'll triage your situation and route you to the right local program.
2. Call your local Community Action Agency — find one at communityactionpartnership.com.
3. Contact local faith-based charities — Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, etc.
4. Apply for state-level rental assistance if your state has one (search "[state name] rental assistance program").
5. If served with eviction papers, contact legal aid immediately — find one at lsc.gov/find-legal-aid or call 211.

Documents to have ready

• Photo ID
• Lease agreement
• Past-due rent notice or eviction filing
• Recent pay stubs or benefit letters (showing the hardship)
• Bank statements (last 1–2 months)
• Landlord contact info and W-9 (programs pay landlords directly)
• Proof of hardship (termination letter, medical bills, etc.)

Why programs run out of money fast

Most local emergency rental funds are first-come, first-served and refilled inconsistently. When funds dry up:

• Programs may pause new applications until refunded
• Wait times can stretch from days to weeks
• Some agencies maintain waitlists; others tell you to reapply later

This is why applying to multiple programs simultaneously matters.

Talking to your landlord

While you apply for help, communicate with your landlord directly. Most landlords prefer a paid tenant over an empty unit and an eviction filing. Ask them:

• To pause the eviction process while you secure assistance
• To accept partial payment now and the rest from an assistance program
• To sign a payment plan giving you 60–90 days to catch up

Get every agreement in writing (text or email is fine). A signed promise not to evict is enforceable in housing court.

A note from us

Emergency rental situations move fast. A team members know which local programs are currently funded in your state, which ones tend to respond fastest, and what documentation they typically require. Call (844) 572-3682 and we'll tell you which doors to knock on first.