Housing for Single Moms: Emergency, Rental, and Homeownership Help That Exists

Housing for single moms by timeline

Most single mothers end up combining two or three of these. Apply for short-term help and long-term help at the same time, because waiting lists for the long-term options can be long.

Emergency shelter for mothers and children

If you and your children have nowhere safe to sleep, dial 211 and say you need a family shelter tonight. Family shelters keep parents and children together, and some are run by groups such as the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities. Space can be tight, so ask to be put on every list and ask about hotel vouchers if shelters are full. The USAGov emergency housing page lists more ways to find shelter.

If your children are in school, the school district’s homeless liaison can help them stay enrolled and get transportation, even if you move to a shelter in another area.

Housing help when you are leaving abuse

If you are leaving an abusive partner, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. Advocates can help you plan safely and find a domestic violence shelter, which keeps its location private.

If you live in HUD-assisted housing, the Violence Against Women Act gives you protections. Under 24 CFR 5.2005, you cannot be denied or evicted because you are a survivor, and you can ask for an emergency transfer to a safer unit. Housing agencies may also split a lease to remove an abuser while you stay. Many voucher programs give survivors a preference on their waiting lists.

Rapid re-housing and transitional housing

Rapid re-housing helps families move out of shelter, or avoid it, by paying part of the rent on a regular apartment for a limited time while a caseworker helps you raise your income. Under the federal Emergency Solutions Grants rules in 24 CFR part 576, short-term help covers up to 3 months and medium-term help covers 4 to 24 months, with a cap of 24 months in any 3-year period. Programs may also pay a security deposit, utility deposits, and moving costs.

Transitional housing is a furnished or shared unit where you live for a set period, often up to two years, with services such as job training, parenting classes, and child care referrals. Some programs are only for mothers and children. In most areas you reach both through the local homeless system’s coordinated entry, which 211 can connect you to.

Section 8 vouchers and public housing

A Housing Choice Voucher, often called Section 8, helps you rent from a private landlord. Public housing is a unit owned by the housing agency. With either, you usually pay about 30% of your adjusted income toward rent and utilities. Under 24 CFR 982.201, vouchers generally go to families with income at or below 50% of area median income, and at least 75% of new vouchers each year go to families at about 30% or below.

• Find your local housing agency through the USAGov Section 8 page and the USAGov public housing page.
• Apply to every open list where you would be willing to live.
• Ask about preferences for families with children, homeless families, or survivors of domestic violence.
• Keep your contact information current, since missed letters are a common reason people lose their place.

Our guide to the housing choice voucher program explains how rent shares and waiting lists work, and our guide to the fastest way to get Section 8 covers ways to shorten the wait.

The Family Unification Program

The Family Unification Program is a special voucher set out in 42 U.S.C. 1437f. It serves families for whom a lack of adequate housing is a main reason children may be placed in foster care, or a main reason they cannot return home. It also serves some young people leaving foster care, with time-limited vouchers. You cannot apply directly. Referrals come from the child welfare agency, so if housing is a barrier in a child welfare case, ask your caseworker whether your housing agency has FUP vouchers.

Tax credit apartments with lower rents

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, set out in 26 U.S.C. 42, funds apartment buildings that must rent some or all units to households below set income limits, commonly 50% or 60% of area median income. Rents are capped, but they are set by the unit, not by your income, so they are lower than market rent but not always as low as Section 8. You apply directly at each property. Many tax credit properties accept Section 8 vouchers, which can lower your share further. Ask 211 or your state housing finance agency for a list of properties.

Paths to owning a home

Owning a home on one income is possible for some families, especially with help.

• Free housing counseling: a HUD-approved housing counselor can review your budget and credit and tell you which local down payment programs you may qualify for. Counseling is free or low cost.
• USDA direct home loans: the Section 502 Direct program, governed by 7 CFR part 3550, subpart B, helps low- and very low-income buyers in eligible rural areas buy a modest home, often with no down payment. Payment assistance can lower the effective interest rate, in some cases to as low as 1%, and loans can run up to 33 years (38 for some very low-income buyers). Some of that payment help must be repaid when you sell or move out. Apply through your local USDA Rural Development office.
• Section 8 homeownership: some housing agencies let voucher holders use the voucher toward a mortgage.
• Habitat for Humanity and similar groups: some build homes for families who help with the work and pay an affordable mortgage.

See our guide to first-time home grants for more down payment options.

Child care and cash help that make rent possible

For many single mothers, child care is the cost that decides whether rent is affordable. Each state runs a child care subsidy program funded by the federal Child Care and Development Fund, overseen by the HHS Office of Child Care. Eligibility depends on income and work or school, and most families pay a copayment. Find your state’s program at ChildCare.gov. Head Start and Early Head Start offer free early learning for eligible young children.

TANF gives monthly cash help to low-income families with children. Federal rules generally limit adults to 60 months, and states can set shorter limits. SNAP, WIC, and child support can also free up money for rent.

Renting with low income or past problems

• Income rules: many landlords want rent to be a third of income or less. Ask whether they count child support, TANF, or vouchers.
• Source of income laws: some states and cities ban landlords from refusing tenants because they use a voucher.
• Credit or eviction history: ask about a co-signer, a larger deposit, or a program that guarantees rent.
• Deposits: rapid re-housing, charities, and 211 may help with a security deposit.
• Fair housing: landlords cannot refuse families with children under the Fair Housing Act, with narrow exceptions such as some senior housing.

Housing scams aimed at single parents

Scammers target parents who need housing fast. Be careful with ads for “grants for single moms” that ask for a fee, offers to put you at the top of a Section 8 list, and landlords who want a deposit before you see the unit. Real housing agencies and shelters never charge to apply. Pay deposits only after you have seen the unit and signed a lease, and never by gift card, wire, or payment app to someone you have not met.

What documents do I need to apply?

Expect to show photo ID, Social Security numbers for the people applying, proof of income for the last 30 days, and proof of where you live, plus any paper that shows the emergency itself. Our document checklist explains what counts for each item and what to do if something is missing. If you don't have everything yet, apply anyway and ask the office how long you have to bring the rest.

Finding housing, step by step

1. If you are unsafe tonight, dial 211 or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
2. Ask 211 about rapid re-housing and how to reach your area’s coordinated entry.
3. Apply to every open Section 8 and public housing list near you.
4. Call tax credit properties and ask about openings and income limits.
5. Apply for child care help, SNAP, and TANF to make rent more affordable.
6. Talk to a HUD-approved counselor if you hope to buy a home.
7. Keep copies of every application and update your contact details.

Related guides

• Emergency rental assistance for single mothers
• Government assistance for single mothers
• Grants for homeless families
• First-time home grants

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules, waiting lists, and funding vary by area and change over time. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with HUD, USDA, or any housing agency.