20 Programs for Emergency Rent Assistance That Are Operating in 2026

The federal pandemic rent program is over, so emergency rent help in 2026 comes from local agencies, charities and a handful of state and city programs. The 20 programs and channels below were each checked as operating in 2026. For each one you'll find who it helps, what it covers and how to apply.

The Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance money that funded most rent relief after 2021 can no longer be used for renters after September 30, 2025. What's left is a patchwork. Funding opens and closes, so apply to more than one program at the same time and keep copies of your lease, ID, income proof and any court papers ready.

Start With a Referral Line

• 1. 211. Who: anyone. Covers: referrals to local rent, utility and housing programs, not payments itself. Apply: call 211 or search 211.org; have your ZIP code, household size and income ready.
• 2. Community Action Agencies. Who: low-income households in the agency's area. Covers: varies; many run rent, utility and energy aid. Apply: find your local agency by ZIP code at communityactionpartnership.com.
• 3. HUD-approved housing counselors. Who: renters and homeowners. Covers: free or low-cost advice on budgets, landlord talks and local aid, not payments. Apply: search by ZIP code with the CFPB's counselor finder and confirm the agency offers rental counseling.

Federally Funded Help Run by Local Agencies

• 4. Emergency Solutions Grants homelessness prevention. Who: people at risk of losing housing with income below 30% of area median income. Covers: short- and medium-term rent, back rent, deposits and utility payments. Apply: through the city, county or nonprofit that receives ESG money; 211 or your local homeless services system can tell you who it is.
• 5. Your Public Housing Agency. Who: low-income renters. Covers: public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers, which are long-term help, not a fix for this month. Apply: contact your local PHA, or call HUD at 800-955-2232 to find it. Waiting lists are long, so join more than one.
• 6. FEMA disaster rental assistance. Who: people displaced by a federally declared disaster. Covers: rent for a temporary place, usually starting with up to two months and extendable. Apply: DisasterAssistance.gov or 800-621-3362, before the deadline for your disaster.

Programs for Veterans and Military Families

• 7. Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF). Who: low-income veteran families who are homeless or about to be. Covers: case management plus rental and utility help through local grantees. VA awarded $855 million for the year starting October 1, 2026. Apply: find a grantee on the VA's SSVF page.
• 8. VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans. Who: veterans at risk of homelessness and their families. Covers: connection to your nearest VA and its housing programs. Apply: call 877-424-3838, free and open 24/7.
• 9. Army Emergency Relief and the other service relief societies. Who: soldiers, eligible Guard and Reserve members, retirees and survivors; each branch has its own society. Covers: rent and deposit help as zero-interest loans or grants. Apply: through your installation's relief office.

Charities That Help With Rent

• 10. The Salvation Army. Who: low-income households; income limits and documents vary by location. Covers: rent and utility help, often about once a year. Apply: contact your local corps; there's no national application.
• 11. Catholic Charities. Who: anyone in need, regardless of religion. Covers: emergency rent payments at many of its local agencies. Apply: use the agency locator at catholiccharitiesusa.org; the national office doesn't give direct help.
• 12. Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Who: neighbors in need, through local parish groups. Covers: rent and utility help, often after a home visit by volunteers. Apply: call the St. Vincent de Paul group at a nearby Catholic parish.

Free Legal Help Once an Eviction Is Filed

• 13. Legal aid funded by the Legal Services Corporation. Who: low-income tenants. Covers: free lawyers who can raise defenses, negotiate time and connect you to court-based rent funds. Apply: enter your address in the LSC legal aid finder.

State and City Programs Open in 2026

• 14. New York City One Shot Deal. Who: city residents facing eviction or another housing emergency who can afford rent going forward. Covers: a one-time payment of back rent, sent to the landlord. Most people must repay it, except SSI recipients. Apply: Cash Assistance application on ACCESS HRA, then an interview.
• 15. New York City Homebase. Who: city residents at risk of eviction or homelessness. Covers: case management, help with landlord talks and referrals to rent aid. Apply: find a Homebase location through HRA or call 311.
• 16. Massachusetts RAFT. Who: renters at risk of losing housing with income at or below 50% of area median income (60% for domestic violence survivors). Covers: back rent, utility arrears, moving costs; up to $7,000 per household in 12 months under fiscal 2026 rules. Apply: the state's Housing Help Hub, which routes you to a regional agency.
• 17. Washington, D.C. Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Who: D.C. residents with income below 40% of area median income. Covers: back rent with late fees and court costs, or a deposit and first month's rent; once in 12 months. Apply: book an appointment at 202-507-6666; booking pauses when funds run short.
• 18. Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program. Who: tenants in an eviction case for nonpayment. Covers: up to $10,000 in back rent, $700 in court costs and two months of future rent. Apply: illinoishousinghelp.org; the 2026 window ran May 27 to June 22, and IHDA keeps processing filed applications while funds last.
• 19. Oregon Eviction Prevention Rapid Response. Who: tenants with an active eviction case who haven't had help in the July 2025 to June 2027 cycle. Covers: back rent, utilities, deposits and repairs up to $2,500, paid to the landlord. Apply: online or by message line at 833-746-8167; intake opens at 9 a.m. on the first business day of each month.
• 20. Philadelphia Eviction Diversion Program. Who: Philadelphia tenants whose landlord wants to file for eviction. Covers: free mediation and housing counseling before a court case. Apply: landlords must enroll first and send you a Notice of Diversion Rights; you'll then get next steps by text or email.

How to Raise Your Chances of Getting Paid

• Apply before a court date if you can. Several programs above only open once an eviction is filed, but charities and ESG prevention can step in earlier.
• Ask your landlord in writing to accept a payment from a program. Most programs pay the landlord directly.
• Ask each program how long a decision takes, and share that timeline with your landlord.

If utility bills are part of the problem, see help paying utility, phone and internet bills.

If Rent Help Comes Too Late

Assistance can take weeks, and a late fee or court date may come first. If you need to cover a small gap while an application is pending, LendUp is an online loan-matching service for $200 to $5,000; loans come from licensed lenders in its network, and approval isn't guaranteed. Our page on a loan for rent has a script for asking your landlord for time and compares a late fee with the cost of borrowing.

Frequently Asked Questions