Being a mother is hard enough, but when you don’t have anyone to share that responsibility with, it can become extremely burdensome. Single parent families often find it extremely hard to make ends meet, especially with just one income. Tasks like keeping a roof over their children’s heads and food in their bellies can often seem nearly intangible or even downright impossible at times. So Life as a Widow or a single mom is certainly tough, however a little help here & there can come as a huge respite.
Thankfully, single parents will often be able to find some financial assistance from a few different sources. One of the most common and helpful types of financial assistance for single parents is housing assistance. Rental assistance for single mothers – and fathers – will often take a heavy load off a parent’s mind. This type of assistance typically helps partially cover the cost of rent, which frees up part of a family’s income for other necessities, such as utilities.
However, just because you’re a single parent, that doesn’t always guarantee you’ll get the help you need. Since single parent families are often living on just one income, though, they generally fall within most income guidelines for rental assistance programs. The amount of rental assistance you may be eligible to receive is typically based on things such as your income and family size, as well as your living costs. Locating rental assistance for single mothers is not always as difficult as it sounds. Generally, the two most common places to find these programs are government agencies and private organizations.
Government Rental Assistance for Single Mothers
In the United States, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) controls rental assistance programs for low-income households. There are a few different types of government rental assistant programs, and single parent families may be eligible for many of them.
- Subsidized Housing
Depending on your income and family size, you may be eligible to live in one of the many subsidized housing complexes across the United States. The government often owns subsidized housing complexes, but privately owned subsidized housing is available as well. Government-owned subsidized housing offers low-rent apartments to single parent families and other low-income families. Privately owned subsidized housing is able to offer low rent to low-income families due to grant money received by the federal and state governments. Even state specific help like grants under Help for Single Mothers in Connecticut can be looked at closely to see how much benefit can be drawn from them.
- Section 8
Colloquially known as Section 8, the Housing Choice Voucher Program is a rental assistance program sponsored by the government. Eligible tenants are able to pick out an apartment or house for rent and part of the rent that goes to the landlord is in the form of a government voucher.
Non-Government Rental Assistance for Single Mothers
Besides the government, there are a number of other places that a single mother may be able to find single parent help with rent. Several national non-profit organizations offer grants for low-income families. Depending on the organization, these grants may be able to be used to pay for a security deposit or stop an eviction.
The Salvation Army, for instance, offers grants to eligible families who are experiencing financial crises. The grant money can be used to pay back rent and stop an eviction. Other private organizations that may offer rental assistance to single mothers may include women’s shelters and churches. Also from another aspect it’s advised to explore the spiritual side as well to seek solace. Our section which has book reviews has very good books covered like God Loves Single Moms which have been found to be great companions for single moms.