Many individuals are behind their rent and mortgage payments in Missouri. As a result, most families are facing evictions and foreclosures. Fortunately, there various local, state, and federal programs that provide housing support to the affected families. The programs make use of federal and state funds to prevent homelessness among the residents. They offer financial support, legal assistance, and referrals to other housing programs for families in need of further support. Keep reading this article for housing resources and the options you can explore to avoid becoming homeless.
Department of Mental Health (DMH) Rental Assistance Program (RAP)
The DMH RAP aims to prevent homelessness among the residents of Missouri or provide support to enable families at risk to move into safer rental housing. the assistance is a one-time one and can include help with utilities, rent, security deposits, or the first month’s rent. Who qualifies for the program assistance? You must be receiving benefits from a community behavioral agency. https://www.mocoalition.org/providers shows a list of agencies. Your family must demonstrate that they are in a crisis, such as the risk of becoming homeless due to loss of income. You must demonstrate the ability to make future payments for your rent once you receive the DMH financial support. Remember, you can’t apply directly to DMH. Only mental support services are allowed to send the program applications. Do you believe that you qualify for DMH RAP assistance? Please either use a case manager or a community support worker to send your application for processing. Applications are only sent through housing@dmh.mo.gov. The program focuses on helping families achieve stability. For more details, please visit https://dmh.mo.gov/housing/unit/rental-assistance.
Missouri Mainstream and Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) Voucher Directory
DMH Housing is committed to maintaining a directory with available housing vouchers designed to serve households with heads under 62 years. The Vouchers are similar to those of the HUD’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. The only difference is that the NED vouchers do not serve the seniors of the community. To qualify for assistance, the family head must be 62 or younger and have at least one disabled member. https://dmh.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-mainstream-and-non-elderly-disabled-ned-voucher-directory shows the Missouri Mainstream and Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) Voucher Directory.
Centers for Independent Living
There are centers for independent living situated everywhere in Missouri. The program works to provide support to the elderly and enable them to live an independent life in the community. To make this work, the centers make use of the community-based approach to support this mission. You can always support through volunteering or making donations to enable senior members of the community to gain stability. Find out more at http://www.mosilc.org/.
Midwest Special Needs Trust
The purpose of the Midwest Special Needs Trust is to provide housing-related support to people living with disabilities and are living below the Federal Poverty Level. Support services can include temporary or permanent shelter, case management, transport services, and financial support. The program also allocates funds for the construction of wheelchair ramps. You must meet the U.S. citizenship requirements to qualify for the program assistance. You must also meet the disability description as guided by the Social Security Administration. Find out more at http://midwestspecialneedstrust.org/aboutMSNT/default.htm.
Missouri Inclusive Housing
Searching for safe and affordable housing can be challenging especially for people living with disabilities. Missouri Inclusive Housing is a non-profit organization committed to helping people with disabilities search for quality housing that suits their needs and budget. It doesn’t matter if you want to rent a house or buy a new home. MIH got you covered. The organization work to help to make your housing search simple. Visit http://www.mohousing.com/ to search for quality housing that fits your budget and family needs.
Missouri Legal Services
The program provides legal services to the residents of Missouri who have low-income. Four programs offer legal aid services. The programs include Legal Services of Southern Missouri, Mid-Missouri Legal Services, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Whether you are facing eviction or foreclosure, these programs will get you the support you need, including housing counseling to help you make better decisions about homeownership. The Legal Service programs provide housing education, information regarding support agencies, and work to solve disputes between tenants and landlords. https://www.lsmo.org/ provides additional information about the programs.
USDA’s Single-Family Housing Direct Home Loans in Missouri
The purpose of this program is to provide payment assistance to qualified low-income families to enable them to obtain quality and safe housing. The program aims to improve the repayment ability of the applicants and reduce the money they use for a mortgage for some time. Your family income determines the amount of assistance the program offers. However, you must be willing to occupy the property and use it as your primary residence and demonstrate the ability to repay the loan. Be a U.S. citizen or provide proof of legal residence in the country. If you have been participating in any of the federal assistance programs, you should have a good history. Anyone who has been debarred or suspended from these programs do not qualify for USDA Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans. You must also provide proof of previous trials to obtain loans from other credit facilities. Qualified families can use the program funds to make improvements in their homes through repairs or renovations where applicable. The loans have a payback period of 33 years. For extremely low-income families, the program allows up to 38 years payback period. Find out more about the program at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-direct-home-loans/mo.
USDA’s Single-Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in Missouri
The loans and grants from this program can be used for repairing, improving, or modernizing homes and removing the threats related to the safety and health of the senior homeowners in Missouri. You must have an income. Applicants seeking grants must be 62 years or older and demonstrate an inability to make repayments. You will need to make grant repayment if you change the ownership or sell the property within 3 years of receiving the program assistance. The program loans are repayable over 20 years and are provided at a fixed interest rate of 1%. Visit Rural Development Office at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices to apply for the program assistance. Find out more at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants/mo.
Missouri Section 8 Housing Program
The program provides rental assistance in form of housing vouchers to low-income families, seniors, and people living with disabilities. The program receives funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is up to each applicant to find a housing unit that meets the program’s quality requirements. Want to apply? Of course, his is the first step to receiving the Section 8 Housing program assistance. You must apply first. Some PHAs allow online applications, while others require you to print and fill in the required information on paper. Applicants are then added to the program waiting lists depending on the time they submit their application. Please note that you may stay on the waiting lists for a very long time due to the high demand for housing assistance in Missouri. Ensure you include the important information, including your family income. The housing voucher your family receives depends on the size and income of the household. Visit https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts/mo to apply through the local PHAs in Missouri. The PHAs award housing vouchers on a first-come, first-serve basis to qualified families. This means that you will only receive assistance once you reach the top of the program waiting list. Assistance also depends on the program funds availability. Ensure your income meets the low-income limits in Missouri State. For more details about the Section 8 Housing Program Assistance, please visit https://eligibility.com/section-8/missouri-mo-section-8-benefits.
Missouri Low-Income Home Energy Program (LIHEAP)
The Missouri Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is comprised of Energy Assistance and Energy Crisis Assistance programs. The Energy Assistance (EA) is dedicated to providing heating assistance to low-income families during January, February, March, October, November, and December. The amount of the program funds depends on the family income, size, and the type of fuel the household consumes. Energy Crisis Assistance is designed for families facing heating or cooling emergencies, including the risk of disconnection from the energy source and terminated accounts. Who is eligible for the program assistance? You must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Missouri, and demonstrate the need for financial assistance. Do you receive TANF, SSI, or SNAP benefits? Then you automatically qualify for the Missouri LIHEAP support. Find out more about the eligibility requirements for the program at https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1573#Eligibility_Checker. Read more at https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1573.