Emergency Solutions Grant Program Arkansas: Shelter, Rehousing, and Eviction Help

How the Emergency Solutions Grant program Arkansas receives works

The Emergency Solutions Grants program is one of HUD’s main tools against homelessness. Each year, HUD sends ESG money to states, larger cities and counties, and U.S. territories by formula. The rules for how the money can be used are in federal regulations at 24 CFR Part 576, and HUD describes the program on its ESG page.

ESG has two big goals. The first is to help people who are already homeless get through a crisis safely, through shelters and outreach. The second is to get people back into stable housing quickly, or keep them from losing it at all, through rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention. The program is not a cash grant to individuals. Money goes to organizations, and those organizations pay landlords, utilities, and shelter costs on your behalf.

That matters when you look for help. People sometimes search for an “ESG application” and expect an online form. In Arkansas, there is no statewide application for individuals. The application ADFA posts each year is for nonprofits that want to run ESG programs.

Who runs ESG in Arkansas

Arkansas’s state ESG allocation is administered by the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, a state housing finance agency. Some older websites still name the Arkansas Department of Human Services, which ran the program in earlier years, but ADFA’s own ESG program page is the current source. Here is how the pieces fit together:

ADFA says plainly that while it administers housing programs, it does not work directly with the public to provide individual assistance. It points people to local organizations instead. ADFA awards ESG funds through a yearly notice of funding availability; the notice for the 2026-2027 grant year was posted on September 23, 2026, according to its homelessness solutions page. Only nonprofit organizations are listed as eligible applicants. Some cities, such as Little Rock, have also received ESG funds from ADFA to pass on to local providers.

Because awards change each grant year, the agency that handled ESG rent help in your county last year may not have funds this year. Your Continuum of Care or 211 will know who is funded now.

What ESG can pay for

ADFA lists five eligible activities, which follow the federal rules. This table explains each in everyday terms.

HUD’s rules set some limits that apply across the country. Rental assistance, whether for prevention or rapid re-housing, can last no more than 24 months in any three-year period. It can include a one-time payment of up to six months of rent arrears. Security deposits are limited to two months’ rent, and the rent must be at or below HUD’s fair market rent and reasonable for the area. Help usually comes with a case manager, and the agency must check in on your situation regularly: at least every three months for prevention and at least once a year for rapid re-housing.

Within those limits, each local agency decides how much it pays and for how long. Many keep help short, often a few months, so the money reaches more households. Ask what the agency can offer and what you will be expected to pay over time.

Who qualifies for ESG help?

Eligibility depends on which part of ESG you need.

Shelter and outreach

If you are homeless right now, you can generally get emergency shelter and outreach services without an income test. Shelters may have their own rules about who they serve, such as families, single adults, or survivors of domestic violence.

Rapid re-housing

Rapid re-housing is for people who are literally homeless. That generally means you are staying in a shelter, a car, outside, or another place not meant for living, or you are fleeing domestic violence with nowhere safe to go. Agencies check your situation at intake and later re-check that your income has not gone above the program limit.

Homelessness prevention

Prevention has the strictest test. Under HUD’s homelessness prevention rule, your household income must be below 30% of the area median income, and you must be at real risk of losing your home with no other resources or support to prevent it. A written eviction notice or a notice to leave usually helps show that risk. The 30% income limit is very low. In much of Arkansas it is close to the federal poverty line, so many working households will not qualify for prevention even when they are struggling. If that is you, ask about the other programs in this guide.

ESG is not limited to citizens in every case, but immigration rules can apply. Ask the agency if you have questions about your status.

Reaching ESG through your Continuum of Care

Arkansas is divided into regional Continuums of Care (CoCs), groups of local agencies that coordinate homeless services. ADFA publishes a contact sheet for people seeking help, last revised June 2, 2026. These are the referral numbers it lists:

You can see the original list on ADFA’s Continuum of Care contact sheet. If you are not sure which area you live in, call Arkansas 211; a specialist can connect you with the right CoC and with any shelter or prevention program that has openings.

How coordinated entry works

HUD requires ESG-funded programs to use their area’s coordinated entry system. In plain terms, that means there is one front door. Instead of applying separately at every agency, you complete an assessment once, and the CoC uses it to match you with the help that fits your situation.

What to expect:

1. A first call or visit. You contact the CoC number, a shelter, or 211. Some areas have walk-in access points.
2. An assessment. A worker asks about where you stayed last night, your household, income, health, and safety. It may take 20 minutes or more.
3. Prioritization. Because funds are limited, people with the greatest needs are often served first. You may be placed on a list.
4. A referral. When a spot opens, you are referred to an agency, which confirms eligibility and starts services.

Keep your phone number current with the CoC, and check in if you have not heard back. If you are fleeing domestic violence, tell the worker. Domestic violence programs often have their own confidential entry process to keep your location safe.

If you are facing eviction

Arkansas eviction cases can move quickly, so act as soon as you get a notice from your landlord. Prevention money is limited and must be approved before it can be paid, which takes time.

• Call 211 the day you get a notice. Ask for any homelessness prevention program, including ESG-funded ones, and for local charities.
• Talk to your landlord. Ask whether they will wait for an agency payment or accept a payment plan. Get any agreement in writing.
• Get free legal advice. Legal Aid of Arkansas offers free civil legal help to eligible low-income Arkansans. Call 1-800-952-9243 or apply on its website.
• Do not ignore court papers. Respond by the deadline on the papers and go to any hearing.

The statewide pandemic rent program and the federal Emergency Rental Assistance behind it have ended, so ESG prevention, charities, and churches are now the main sources of one-time rent help in Arkansas. Our Arkansas hardship program guide covers other state help.

Other help to pair with ESG

ESG works best alongside other programs that lower your costs or raise your income:

• SNAP. Food benefits from the Arkansas Department of Human Services. For October 2026 through September 2027, the gross income limit for one person is $1,729 a month, and the maximum benefit for one person is $306.
• Cash help for families. Arkansas DHS runs Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA) for families with children.
• Utility help. LIHEAP, through local community action agencies, can help with heating and cooling bills. The federal income cap is 150% of the poverty guideline or 60% of state median income, and crisis help must be provided within 48 hours (18 hours if life-threatening).
• Housing vouchers. Section 8 and public housing through local housing authorities can lower rent long term, though lists are long.
• Veterans. Veterans can ask the VA about Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), which works much like ESG for veteran households.

For a national overview of homeless programs, see our guide to government assistance for homeless people.

Getting help step by step

1. Call your CoC or 211. Say whether you are homeless now or at risk, and how soon.
2. Complete the assessment. Answer honestly; it decides which help you are matched to.
3. Gather papers. ID, proof of income (or a statement of no income), your lease, and any eviction notice or notice to leave.
4. Find a safe place tonight if needed. Ask about shelter beds or a motel voucher if no bed is open.
5. Work with the case manager. Follow up on housing searches, landlord contacts, and paperwork.
6. Apply for other benefits. SNAP, TEA, LIHEAP, and voucher lists help you stay housed after ESG ends.

Related guides

• Immediate housing assistance for homeless people
• Federal grants for homeless shelters
• Arkansas hardship program
• Rent relief programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. ESG funding, providers, and local rules change each grant year. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with HUD, the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, or any government agency.