Rental Assistance Call to Action
July 28, 2021

New Resources Available for Renters and Landlords

Renters and landlords who don’t know where to turn can use a new website from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This website makes it easy to find rental assistance provider in your area.

Spread the word that people can go to find help paying rent.

If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs – or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation – help may be available. State and local programs are distributing billions of dollars in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic.

Help renters and landlords recover from the financial distress of the pandemic

The federal government is conducting an all-out push to make sure tenants and landlords take advantage of the historic funding for emergency rental assistance to help cover rent, utilities, and other housing costs and keep people in their homes.

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, billions of dollars in federal rental assistance is reaching renters behind on housing costs, as well as landlords who have struggled during the pandemic. These programs are run locally, and right now emergency rental assistance is available across the country.

We are putting out a call to action to government agencies, companies, advocates, nonprofits, the faith community, and more to make sure that renters and landlords are able to take advantage of the relief available to them.

On July 28th, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) debuts a new look up tool that allows renters and landlords to find information on rental assistance in their area. Help us spread the message: Rental assistance is available. We can prevent evictions—benefiting renters and landlords.

While we are encouraging people to help get the word out on July 28th to connect people to CFPB’s new tool, these resources will continue to be valuable to renters and landlords beyond the 28th, and we welcome any and all continued outreach efforts.

CFPB has developed a new look up tool that allows renters to find information on rental assistance in their area. The Rental Assistance Finder was designed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help renters and landlords find their local program and apply for assistance.

For more general information about the Emergency Rental Assistance program, visit the unified federal housing assistance portal hosted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

For Renters

• Worried about missed rent payments or eviction? Federal assistance is available to help cover your rent, utilities, or other housing-related costs.

• Worried about making the rent? Get help with 12 months or more of rent and utilities. 

• Are you behind on your rent? Federal assistance for rent and utility debt is available.

• Ask your local program about the total amount of help available – depending on the program’s funding, it could be up to 12 months or more. 

For Landlords

• Squeezed between missed rental income and bills you owe because of the pandemic? Help is available. Government rental assistance programs can help you and your tenants cover missed payments.

• When the rent comes in short, you’ve still got bills to pay. Apply for direct payments of federal rental assistance, based on your tenants’ eligibility. 

• Landlords are feeling squeezed by the loss of rental income. State and local programs are delivering billions of dollars in federal financial assistance to landlords based on tenant eligibility. 

• State and local programs are making billions of dollars in direct payments of federal rental assistance to landlords. Eligibility is based on your tenant’s household finances. As a landlord, you may need to apply.