Frequently Asked Questions: Law Library of Congress

Some resources we have suggested to our patrons looking for rental assistance programs include:

• How Federal Rental Assistance Works, from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
• Rental Assistance, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• Rural Rental Assistance, from Benefits.gov (program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• Find Affordable Rental Housing, from USA.gov
• Find Rental Assistance Programs in Your Area, from the CFPB
• Emergency Rental Assistance, from the National Council of State Housing Agencies
• State and Local Rental Assistance, from the National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), from Benefits.gov
• LIHEAP Map State and Territory Contact Listing, from the Department of Health & Human Services

You can find information about applying to local rental assistance programs by using some of the resources listed above. Below is an example search to demonstrate methods for finding resources near you.

Beginning with the CFPB’s page about local rental assistance programs, select the state you would like to learn about, and then the local jurisdiction nearest to you. Click through the program(s) in your area to learn more about the application process, deadlines, and other important information. If you need help with applying to a program, contact the agency that administers the program you are applying for, or use the CFPB’s website to find a housing counselor.

If you or people you know are also interested in learning about programs that assist with utility bills, the Department of Health & Human Services has an interactive website with useful information. Click on the relevant state to see contact information for state agencies that oversee this program at the state level.

As you learn more about programs and resources that provide assistance to those in need, be wary of potential scams. A good approach is starting with government resources, or websites that end with “.gov.” Also, stay away from websites that require you to submit a deposit or personal identifiable information to be eligible for their program. You can learn more about telltale signs for scams in articles from the CFPB.

If you follow the above steps and need further assistance, or you are facing eviction, contact a nearby legal aid organization to learn about their services and ask about other nearby resources that may be able to help you. You can locate information online by visiting the websites for the American Bar Association and the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). In particular, LSC publishes the Eviction Laws Database, which includes state/territory-level eviction laws for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.