How do I find out more about rental assistance grants?

Applying for rental assistance grants involves completing an application with the appropriate aid agency and supplying the necessary documentation to prove that you qualify. This can be a complicated process unless you know how to proceed.

(Request from Sabrena in St. Louis, Missouri) How do I find out more info about rental assistance grants?  I’m in desperate need of help w/back rent.  I had a setback in April (my hours got cut bigtime), and since then, I haven’t been able to catch up.  I’ve already been to court w/the landlord and worked out a payment plan to avoid eviction & keep it off my record.  However, the amount is higher than the actual rent, which makes it even more difficult to pay off.  I paid June & July ($1000, $750), but I just don’t have the money for August.  The landlord gave me up to a 90 day extension (’til the end of November) to completely pay off the balance ($2250), But I’m afraid he’ll change his mind if I don’t make a full payment this month (he won’t accept partial payments at this point).  I’ve already been through 6 payday/installment loans in a desperate attempt to pay, but those ultimately didn’t end well.  I make less than $1000/mo.  There has to be some program out there that can help.  Any resource info will be appreciated, but you can rule out United Way and St. Patrick’s.  They say they have no funds.  Thank you.

Dear Sabrena,

Thank you for supplying such detailed information about your situation. It helps me get a better idea of the problems you have experienced, the steps you have taken to resolve the shortfall and the timeframe that you have to work with.

I realize that you have contacted St. Patrick’s and the United Way to seek funding for your back rent payments. Regardless of where you live, most organizations that provide rental aid can be located by contacting the local United Way chapter or the Department of Social Services (DSS). Our organization also discovers new programs each week and documents their efforts through our focus on local programs. You can search for the programs that serve you and contact them using the telephone information that is provided. Ultimately though, it is up to you to complete the application and provide the necessary documentation to prove your need and qualifications for the aid package.

In your specific situation, the problem is two-fold. First, the primary issue is that your income has dropped. Since your employer is no longer providing you with the necessary income to pay your minimum monthly living costs, it is time to find another job. It is worth asking your employer whether there are any opportunities to take an extra shift or to fill in for someone when they are sick. Ultimately though, if you are not able to work at least 40 hours and be paid a proper wage, then you should immediately look for a better opportunity.

Instead of focusing solely on rental assistance, the United Way and DSS can help you find a job training program that could allow you to gain the skills necessary to improve your income. Some residential and transitional housing programs combine free or cheap rent with job skills training, thereby allowing you to live and save money for a future security deposit while studying to take on a better job. I would encourage you to focus more on transitional housing programs, since they have a high success rate due to their multi-pronged approach to identifying and serving housing and employment needs.

The other problem though is that you have put yourself deeper in debt. Taking out unsecured loans to pay rent is sometimes a reasonable option when done carefully, but it is never a good idea to obtain a payday loan for any reason. Now those loans are interfering with your ability to afford your rent.

The difference is that it costs you about 15 cents to borrow a dollar for a full year when you go to a regular lender. Payday lenders will charge you $3.91 to borrow a buck for a year. I hope this puts it in perspective just how utterly unaffordable payday loans really are.

I would encourage you to search through our site for transitional housing programs that serve you. They can help you move out of an unaffordable situation and help you plan and save for a permanent rental unit. Best of all, these programs can keep you out of homeless shelters and off the streets.