Arkansas Rent Relief Program: What Ended and Where Renters Can Turn Now

How the Arkansas rent relief program ended

DHS launched the Arkansas Rent Relief Program in 2021 with federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) money from the U.S. Treasury. It helped renters who lost income during COVID-19 with past-due and upcoming rent and some utility bills. In late January 2022, DHS paused new applications to change how it paid out funds, moving to checks made out to both the landlord and the tenant.

The pause became permanent. DHS's rental assistance page says the program stopped accepting new applications and extension applications at noon on April 1, 2022, and that applications already received would be processed. Later that spring, the state told Treasury it would not reopen the program with more federal ERA funds, according to news reports at the time.

The federal program has now ended everywhere. The Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance page states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025. City and county ERA programs, including those in larger Arkansas counties, have closed for the same reason.

Matching your problem to the right office

Arkansas has no single front door for rent help anymore. Start with the row that fits you best, and try two or three at once.

Emergency Solutions Grant prevention funds

When the pandemic program closed, DHS pointed renters to the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program. ESG is federal HUD money for shelters, rapid rehousing, and homelessness prevention. The Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) passes the state's share to local nonprofits, and those groups take the applications. Our guide to the Emergency Solutions Grant program in Arkansas covers the activities, eligibility, and how to find a provider, so here is just what matters for rent:

• Prevention can pay rent arrears or short-term rent for people about to lose housing. Federal ESG rules generally limit it to households at or below 30% of area median income, which is low.
• Rapid rehousing helps people who are already homeless move into a rental, often with a deposit and a few months of rent.
• A written notice helps. Providers usually need proof that you are at real risk, and a landlord's notice to vacate is the clearest proof.

Funding runs out during the year, and each agency covers its own counties. Ask 211 which ESG agency serves you, and whether it has prevention money right now.

Community action, 211, and charities

Arkansas's community action agencies are the most common local source of small rent and utility payments. The Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association lists the agency for each county. Their emergency funds come from a mix of federal Community Services Block Grant money, LIHEAP, and local donations, so what they offer changes.

• Arkansas 211. Dial 2-1-1, text your ZIP code to 898211, or search arkansas211.org. It is run by United Way. Ask for "rent assistance" and "eviction prevention" by name.
• Salvation Army. Corps in Little Rock, Fort Smith, and other Arkansas cities sometimes help with rent or utilities. Use the location finder, and see our Salvation Army rental assistance guide.
• Catholic Charities of Arkansas. Serves the whole state through the Diocese of Little Rock. Search the Catholic Charities USA help finder.
• Churches and ministries. Many congregations keep a benevolence fund. Our guide to churches that help with rent explains how to ask.

Most charities pay part of a month. Tell each one what the others have pledged and ask if they can coordinate a payment to the landlord.

Utility help and other benefits

Cutting another bill can be the fastest way to free up rent money.

LIHEAP. Arkansas's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is overseen by the state's Department of Energy and Environment and handed out by local community action agencies. Federal rules cap income at 150% of the poverty line or 60% of state median income, and crisis help must arrive within 48 hours, or 18 hours in a life-threatening situation. Our LIHEAP guide explains the program.

Food and cash. If you have not applied for SNAP, food benefits can leave more cash for rent. Families with children can ask DHS about TEA cash assistance. Our Arkansas hardship program guide covers both.

Debts. If credit cards or collection accounts are crowding out rent, our Arkansas debt relief programs guide explains nonprofit counseling and the state's protections for wages and property.

Arkansas notice and court deadlines

Most Arkansas evictions are civil cases called unlawful detainers. The deadlines are short, and missing one can end your case.

The Arkansas Attorney General's landlord and tenant page explains that the objection must be filed with the circuit court clerk, with a copy to the landlord or the landlord's lawyer. If you object, the court sets a hearing. Legal Aid of Arkansas's eviction page links to a tenant objection and answer packet.

Staying while the case goes on is harder in Arkansas than in many states. Act 1052 of 2021 changed the court rule so that a tenant who objects generally must also show good cause to remain and post security of at least the rent owed plus rent that comes due during the case. Paying rent into court alone is no longer enough. If you cannot post that amount, talk to Legal Aid right away about your options.

A landlord still has to go through the court. Legal Aid of Arkansas says landlords may not change the locks, move your things out, or turn off utilities to force you out.

The criminal failure-to-vacate law

Arkansas is the only state with a criminal eviction statute, usually cited as Ark. Code § 18-16-101. It dates to 1901. Repeal bills have failed in the legislature several times, including in 2015 and 2021, and Legal Aid of Arkansas's failure-to-vacate page still describes it as current law. Here is how Legal Aid explains it:

• It applies only when rent is unpaid. A tenant who is current cannot be charged.
• The landlord must give a 10-day written notice to vacate. Leaving within those 10 days avoids the charge.
• A tenant who stays can be charged with a misdemeanor. The judge may fine $1 to $25 for each day after the notice period ends.
• This law does not let a judge order you out of the home. A landlord who wants possession still has to use the civil process.
• Payment is the only sure defense. A landlord who has a habit of accepting late rent may have waived the right to rely on a late payment.

Because a criminal charge can lead to a warrant if you miss court, never ignore a citation or summons. Call Legal Aid as soon as you get one.

Repairs and minimum housing standards

For most of its history Arkansas gave tenants almost no repair rights. That changed in part with Act 1052 of 2021, which added Ark. Code § 18-17-502, "implied residential quality standards." It covers most leases entered into or renewed after November 1, 2021. The home must have:

• hot and cold running water and a source of drinking water;
• electricity;
• sewer and plumbing that met code when installed;
• a working roof and building envelope; and
• working heating and air conditioning, if the home had it when the lease was signed.

These standards are narrower than the full warranty of habitability most states have. After a tenant who is current on rent gives written notice, the landlord has 30 days to fix the problem. If it is not fixed, the tenant may end the lease without penalty and get the security deposit back. Legal Aid of Arkansas notes that you still cannot withhold rent for any reason, so do not stop paying over a repair. For health and safety problems, you can also contact your city's code enforcement office.

On deposits, the Attorney General says landlords with six or more units cannot charge more than two months' rent and must return the deposit, or give an itemized list of deductions, within 60 days after you move out.

Legal Aid of Arkansas and other free help

Legal Aid of Arkansas lists evictions and landlord and tenant problems among its priority cases. Call 1-800-952-9243 (1-800-9-LAW-AID) or apply online. The Center for Arkansas Legal Services closed at the end of 2025, and Legal Aid of Arkansas took over its counties, so it now serves the whole state.

The Attorney General's office can answer general landlord and tenant questions at 800-482-8982. If you think you are being treated unfairly because of race, disability, family status, or another protected trait, Legal Aid runs a fair housing line at 1-870-338-9834.

If an eviction is already on your record, see our guide to second chance apartments that accept evictions before you apply for a new place.

What to do this week

1. Read the notice closely. A 3-day notice points to a civil case. A 10-day notice may be the criminal process. Write down the date and how it was delivered.
2. Call Legal Aid of Arkansas the same day, especially if court papers have arrived. Remember the 5-day objection deadline.
3. Dial 211 or text your ZIP to 898211 and ask for ESG prevention and rent help near you.
4. Call your community action agency, the Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities.
5. Write to your landlord that you are applying for help, and ask whether a pledge from an agency will stop the case.
6. Keep every receipt, and pay by a method that leaves a record.
7. Apply for a voucher at your local housing authority if rent is beyond your budget for the long term.

Related guides

• Emergency Solutions Grant program Arkansas
• Oklahoma rent relief
• Missouri rent relief program
• Louisiana rent relief

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and rules change, so confirm details with the agency or a lawyer before you act. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with Arkansas DHS, ADFA, or any government agency.