Single Mom Rental Assistance

Being a solo mother you are the primary caregiver and provider for your children. Surviving on one source of income and covering all the household expenses yourself can be difficult for you. You may find it hard to meet all the financial needs of the family. Low-income households in the United States are at high risk of housing insecurity for a lot of households, especially single moms. In today’s economy, single moms find it challenging to locate affordable and safe housing. This guide will help single moms to learn rental assistance for single moms.

How To Get Rental Help For Single Moms?

Women are one of the most disadvantaged groups as they face gender discrimination and inequality in society. This undermines their economic abilities. Single moms find it challenging to meet all the financial obligations of the family with limited sources of income. The availability of rental help through assistance programs and grants lightens their burden substantially and allows them to provide a better life for their children. Single moms are encouraged to apply for rent assistance programs and other grants that are provided by governmental organizations and nonprofit institutions. However, it doesn’t mean that every single mom is eligible to receive rental assistance since they have to prove their financial difficulties and what problems they are facing in covering their rent areas. For example, you need to prove that you are unemployed or jobless, at imminent risk of eviction or foreclosure or you’re not able to afford rent expenses on your own. Applying for single-mom rentals is strategic and you need to present your financial situation and case effectively for qualifying and getting a free apartment, housing assistance programs, house grants, or security deposits.

Programs That Offer Rent Assistance For Single Moms

Following is the list of programs that provide rent assistance to single mothers.

1. Public Housing Program

The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides the Public Housing Program which offers safe rental housing to low-income families and single parents. You can qualify for this program if you are an elderly person, have a disability, or belong to a low-income family. More than a million public housing units are built across the country and around 3300 public housing authorities have managed these units. Single mothers who want to apply for this program should visit the official website of HUD and find a local public housing authority.

2. Section 8 Or Housing Choice Voucher Program

Housing Choice Voucher Program or Section 8 Program is an important HUD program designed for low-income families including single mothers. The Section 8 Program does not offer actual housing similar to the Public Housing Program however it provides vouchers or rent subsidies to single mothers and low-income families so that they can obtain rent units in private housing and can reduce their financial burden. The federal government offers housing vouchers to eligible applicants. Section 8 Housing Program is a popular rental assistance program provided by the federal government to single moms so that they can cover their housing costs and rent. Eligible families and individuals are responsible to find a housing of their choice where the landowner agrees to receive rent under this program. The payments of the landlord come directly from the public housing agency on behalf of the renter and eligible candidates have to pay the difference amount from their pocket. You can contact your nearest HUD office to apply for this single-mom rental subsidy program.

3. Subsidized Housing

Subsidized housing is provided by the federal government through its HUD program. This program offers property owners financial assistance providing them with lower range of apartments and housing units. The Subsidized Housing Program enables renters, especially single mothers to apply directly with the property manager or landlord. If the landlord or property manager will then disclose the income limits for every housing unit or apartment. They can also enforce other additional eligibility requirements. If you are looking for how to find rental assistance for single moms near me then you can use HUD affordable housing locator and find subsidized rentals near you.

4. USDA Rental Assistance

The United States Department of Agriculture provides many programs to help low-income families, especially single parents, find safe and affordable homes in rural regions. Rural area housing refers to units that are located outside the urban regions. The USDA Rental Assistance Program is designed for low-income families, especially single moms who are unable to afford rent expenses. The US Department of Agriculture helps them by providing payments to landlords and property owners on behalf of the renter. To be eligible for the rental assistance program you need to belong to a very low or low-income tenant group in rural regions. Single moms who are looking for a home in the country will find this a good opportunity to secure a shelter. You can also use the USDA website for finding affordable and easy rural rentals near your region.

5. Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Emergency Rental Assistance Programs fund utilities, rent, and other home energy costs, and can also get financial assistance to cover their relocation expenses. This rental assistance program is available to members who have lost their income, are unemployed, or running through financial hardship. Moreover, single moms need to make sure that their household income is below the area median income and that their household members are at risk of becoming homeless.

Organizations That Provide Single Mom Rental Assistance

There are many nonprofit organizations and government institutions which provide single-mom rental help to eligible candidates in the United States. The organization helps women to access emergency funding, grants, and permanent housing assistance if they are unable to obtain a safe and secure shelter. Organizations that help single moms with rental assistance are as follows.

1. The Salvation Army

This organization has many programs and resources to benefit single moms. Such programs include attaining and maintaining housing, emergency rental assistance programs, employment opportunities, permanent housing, financial self-sufficiency training, and transitional housing. The organization does more help just by covering rental payments on behalf of eligible candidates. The organization runs programs for single moms and helps them in covering rehabilitation, disaster relief, food, shelter, clothing, and so on. The programs run by the organization are funded from the amount they generate from their stores. If you’re looking for affordable housing or need assistance with relocation or employment then you can contact this accredited charity organization.

2. Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities are found throughout the United States and is a popular organization that assists divorced and low-income single moms with safe and secure shelter. The organization provides emergency homeless shelters to immigrants and teenage mothers so that they can attain financial stability and get back on their feet. Catholic Charities offer affordable housing as well as financial aid and its housing programs are open to everyone, even single parents living with children and non-catholic families. Rental assistance programs help single moms to negotiate rent with their landlords or private property managers. The government and nongovernmental institution funds money to single moms so that they can cover their rent and utility bills.

3. CoAbode

This organization offers rental assistance and allows them to secure a safe and secure dwelling. The organization provides them an opportunity to share their household expenses with other needy single moms and this helps both single moms to ease their financial burden to a great extent. Single mothers having kids can share their home with like-minded people and split up expenses which can make childcare and housing more manageable for them. The organization enables moms of any color, race, age, and ethnicity to sign up on their platform. Once the profile gets registered and activated you can contact other single moms who are looking for house-sharing in their desired neighborhoods or community.

4. YWCA

This organization assists low-income single moms and other women and helps them to connect with dependable organizations where they can access rental assistance programs. The organization provides them with resources and reference which helps them address their rent burden and improve their chance to own permanent housing. The organization is toward the safety and welfare of women. The nonprofit organization provides a variety of programs related to affordable housing, protection from abuse and domestic violence, employment development, etc.

Best Rental Sites For Single Moms

As per reports of the American Community Survey in 2019 around 44 million households in the USA are renters. Locating the best and most effective rental listing website is challenging for homeowners as well as renters. There are many real estate websites available for home buyers and sellers. Single moms looking for the best rental websites can take a look at the following options.

1. Apartment Guide

Finding a rental unit for single moms is not an easy experience. Apartmentguide.com helps in eliminating all the problems that come with renting an apartment and provides tons of 3D tools for prospective homes and full-color images of the apartments. The site has an extensive and generous list of possible filters that will make your search for a rental house easier.

2. For Rent

Single moms who are searching for home rentals in large property management companies like apartment complexes will find ForRent.com to be an amazing option. This rental site provides a wide collection of housing options to browse and choose from. The site has amazing features that will provide details about the properties such as whether you can accompany your furry friend with you or not and how far you will be from dining, shopping, and public transportation. Single moms can access a range calculator which will be a handy feature for them and they can also determine the amount of rent they can afford.

3. Zillow Rentals

Zillow Rental site can be used for buying, selling, or renting properties and this site truly stands out for its amazing features, especially for single moms who are looking for single-family dwellings. Unlike any other real estate state listings Zillow has the most data and listings for single moms to choose from. It also includes an algorithm that caters to single mothers’ interests and tastes and helps in browsing data seamlessly. Further, you can also make use of the Zestimate tool to easily compare the rentals and in deciding whether you are getting a good deal or not.

4. Trulia Rentals

Trulia was acquired by Zillow in the year 2014 and is another best apartment rental site for single moms to choose from. Being a single mom you can choose this site for renting or purchasing a home and help useful renter and buyer guidelines. The standout feature of Trulia is its crime mapping tool such as city protect.com and spot crime.com. The site has also added new unique features which add members of the LGBTQ+ community around the discriminating housing laws.

5. Realtor

This is one of the most trusted and genuine rental resources for single moms out there and its amazing features and authenticity makes it one of the best apartment rental sites in the USA. The site is operated and managed by the National Association of Realtors and accepts listings from property managers and owners only. The site has a wide range of filters therefore you can look for options in terms of amenities for neighborhoods, pricing etc.

Conclusion

Raising a child is not a walk in the park. Life of single moms is tough however they do their best to live happy and healthy lives for their children. The task of taking care of children, juggling a job, and searching for safe and affordable housing at a reasonable cost makes single moms overwhelmed. The silver lining to these challenges and struggles is found in rental assistance programs for single moms that are provided by many governmental and non-governmental organizations.