The best way to get this help is to call for an appointment or, if there is one close by, to stop in at your local housing counseling agency's office. To find one in your area, turn to the section on Housing Counseling Agencies at the beginning of each state's Resource Guide at Route 4. Consumers can search for housing counseling agencies that are HUD approved. They can also search for housing counseling agencies that have adopted the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling at: www. homeownershipstandards.org. These Standards help practitioners and organizations serve families and communities with consistent service and professional excellence.
Finding Rental Housing
In this section we'll discuss options for finding an apartment and getting help in paying your rent.
Using a Rental Agent
If your income gives you a range of units to choose from, consider using a rental property professional. These companies know available units and rent prices, and can help match you with a unit that meets your needs. Landlords pay a fee to have their units included in the database, so the service will not cost you anything. Keep in mind that rental agents will only tell you about units whose owners subscribe to the service, and that may not include everything that's available for rent.
You tell the rental agent your rent range, job location, transportation needs, community interests and recreational activities. Their role is to:
These services can help narrow your search to a handful of units that meet your requirements, saving you time and travels costs as you go about your search. Some rental agents may be local, but there are others listed on the Internet as well. To learn who to contact, turn to your state Resource Guide at Route 4 of this guide and look in the section on Rental Information.
Some of these sites also offer free roommate-matching services. If you want a shared living situation, you might consider using this service rather than renting a place yourself and looking for a roommate later.
Newspaper Classifieds:Tried and True
Newspaper classified ads are still an important source for apartment rentals. The Sunday ads are usually the most complete. Often daily newspapers will choose another weekday, such as Wednesday, to run another bunch of classifieds.
Getting Help with the Rent
If you lived in an apartment where the rent was subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), or if you had a housing voucher through a public housing authority, you should contact your local affordable housing agency.
If your income is very limited and you are not receiving rent subsidies, then you can apply for rental housing assistance. Please be aware that as of the date of this guide, this is not a quick solution to your housing needs. While more help is on the way, there are many people who need help with rent. You may also contact housing counseling agencies in your area to explore affordable rental options, including short-term or temporary housing.
There are several types of rental housing assistance:
Public housing is owned and managed by a public housing authority (PHA). You pay 30% of your income toward rent and utilities. You have to be under the income guidelines and live in the properties the PHA owns.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Program also requires you pay 30% of your income toward rent and utilities, but gives you a voucher that you can use in a privately owned rental unit. Thus, you are not required to live in specific properties.
To apply for public housing or Section 8 vouchers, contact the PHA where you want to live and ask for an application. The Resource Guide for your state at the end of this section tells you how to find the one nearest you.
Units that are privately owned, but which were built with low-interest loans or grants from the state and federal government. In exchange for this assistance, these property owners agree to offer lower rents to tenants whose incomes are less than specified limits.
To apply for a unit in one of these properties, you have to contact the building's owner or property manager directly. This means that, depending on where you want to live, you might have to apply to quite a number of them. If your application is accepted, you will probably be put on a waiting list until a unit becomes available. It is best to keep a written list of the properties you applied to, their contact information, and the date you applied so you can keep track.