Mississippi rent help from churches, community action, and state agencies
Mississippi has no statewide rent fund that is open to the public. Most emergency rent money in the state is held by churches, local charities, and community action agencies, and a small group of regional and statewide organizations cover every county. The statewide options are listed first on this page, with links to local county rent assistance below them.
Statewide rent assistance programs and organizations in Mississippi
Community action agencies and MDHS
The Mississippi Department of Human Services tells renters who are behind to start with their local community action agency. The agencies cover all 82 counties, and many use Community Services Block Grant money for short-term rent or mortgage payments along with utility help. Each agency sets its own rules, and local funds run out during the year, so ask what is available right now and which documents to bring. The agency for each county is listed on the Mississippi community action agency page, and a family with children can also ask the department about monthly cash from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
MUTEH and homeless prevention programs
Mississippi United to End Homelessness, called MUTEH, is the lead agency for homeless services in most of the state. MUTEH and its partner agencies run homeless prevention and rapid re-housing programs that may pay back rent, a deposit, or the first months in a new unit for a household that is about to lose its housing or already has. Contact MUTEH at 201 W. Capitol Street, Suite 800, Jackson, MS 39201. Phone: (601) 960-0557. Website: https://www.muteh.org/.
On the Gulf Coast, the Open Doors Homeless Coalition at https://www.opendoorshc.org/ handles the same entry process for the six coastal counties. In effect they may provide rental assistance or other support as part of homeless prevention - rehousing.
Free legal help for renters
Two nonprofit law firms split the state. North Mississippi Rural Legal Services represents income-qualifying tenants in the northern 39 counties, and the Mississippi Center for Legal Services covers the southern 43. Both give free help with eviction cases, and both take new clients by phone: (800) 898-8731 in the north and (800) 498-1804 in the south. The shared site at https://www.mslegalservices.org has plain-language eviction guides for the whole state, and more options are on the Mississippi free lawyers for low-income tenants page.
The Salvation Army in Mississippi
The Salvation Army runs service centers across Mississippi, and HUD's own Mississippi housing page points renters to it for emergency rent help. Funds are limited and differ by location and by month, so call the nearest center before visiting. Locations and application steps are on the Salvation Army rent help in Mississippi page.
USDA Rural Development
Mississippi is one of the most rural states in the country, and USDA-financed apartment properties operate in small towns across it. Rent in these properties is set by household income, and some units carry extra rental assistance that lowers the payment further for very low-income tenants. Contact the Mississippi state office: 100 W. Capitol Street, Suite 831, Jackson, MS 39269. Phone: (601) 965-4316. For questions about rental properties, call (800) 292-8293. Website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/ms.
Regional housing authorities and Section 8
Section 8 works differently in Mississippi than in most states. Eight regional housing authorities, numbered I through VIII, each cover a group of counties, and a renter applies to the authority for their region rather than to a city office; a few larger cities also run their own authorities. Waiting lists open for short periods, and a voucher lowers the rent for the long term rather than paying this month's bill. The authority for each county, and current openings, are on the section 8 housing authorities in Mississippi page.
Rent help after a tornado or hurricane
Mississippi renters lose housing to tornadoes inland and to hurricanes on the coast. When a county receives a federal disaster declaration, a displaced renter can apply for FEMA rental assistance for a temporary place to live at https://www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362, and each declaration has its own application deadline.
Government housing resources and 211
HUD's Mississippi page at https://www.hud.gov/states/mississippi lists rental resources across the state, and free HUD-approved housing counselors can be reached at (800) 569-4287. The Mississippi Department of Human Services posts its help-with-bills contacts at https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/services/bills. Dialing 211 reaches the United Way line for your area and adds referrals to nearby rent, deposit, and utility programs, as a supplement to the contacts above.
Mississippi renters share what worked — the community forum
Local funds in Mississippi run out often, and an agency that had money last month may have nothing this month. Renters across the state use the moderated NHPB forum to post which agencies had funds and what worked in their town. Read recent posts or ask your own question in the Mississippi rent assistance forum thread.
Local rent help in each Mississippi county
The larger metro areas and the Delta have their own county pages with local charities, churches, and agency contacts. Select your area below.
Bolivar, Coahoma, Sunflower and Washington County - Multiple counties
Charlotte County
Desoto and Tate County
Forrest and Lamar County
Harrison County - Gulfport and Biloxi
Jackson and Hinds County
Related Content From Needhelppayingbills.com
|
Need help navigating programs?