Need some help?
Here are government programs and other assistance.
The Department of Housing and Urban development provides agent that will help you with renting or buying a home, or council you on credit defaults and foreclosure. Click here to contact the HUD agency near you which supplies tenant government assistance. Tenant Screening For Landlords helps with background check.
Do you have a disability? Not only can you find government assistance, but you also might find that you have been discriminated against because of your disability. To learn what kind of housing is available to you and to receive assistance with finding suitable housing, click here.
If you have low income, you might also quality for privately subsidized housing. To find housing in your area, click here.
Have you been unfairly treated when looking for a home to purchase or rent? Our laws provide equal opportunity for everyone, and you need to have information to determine your rights as a tenant and to show you how to remedy the situation. For information on this, contact the HUD Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office. Best Home Rental Sites includes a comprehensive profile that will match you with a compatible roommate looking for the same type of rental that you are looking for.
Tenant Legal Help is help for renters and need legal assistance. These organizations are federally funded and are specifically directed to provide the legal assistance that you need. To find these organizations, visit the Legal Services Corporate website.
Tenant Moving Assistance
The IRS Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is for low to moderate income housing assistance. This program is provided by private agencies and nonprofits, under state regulation. They can help you find affordable house. You can search for the (LIHTC) in your state, or also you can contact the National Council of State Housing Agencies to locate them.
Discrimination Facts
As a tenant you have the right to be treated the same as anyone else. Anything other than that is discrimination, and can become an issue for the landlord. A renter cannot be single out or treated differently because of their marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or status as a student. So, what exactly would constitute discrimination? Below are some examples of things you might hear from a landlord that could be construed as discrimination according to the federal Fair Housing Act.
“I know you have a guide dog, but you will need to pay a pet deposit anyway”
“Because you have a family with small kids, you’ll need to live in a different section of our apartment complex”.
“We have a list of wheelchair bound applicants in a separate waiting list from other potential renters”
“This rental home is privately owned, and the owner doesn’t wish to rent to openly gay people”
“You are not the kind of person that we feel should become part of this apartment community”
While some comments may be more subtle than those above, you should notify the tenant’s council if your potential landlord or property managers says anything that implies the same.