Mississippi Rent Relief Program: Why RAMP Closed and Where to Get Help Now

What happened to the Mississippi rent relief program

RAMP was Mississippi's share of the federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. The Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC), the state's housing finance agency, ran it from 2021. It paid landlords and utility companies directly and could cover up to 15 months of back and future rent and utilities for eligible renters.

On August 3, 2022, Governor Tate Reeves directed MHC to stop accepting applications as of August 15, 2022. He said the program discouraged work, and the state planned to send unspent money back to Washington. Applications already in the pipeline were processed, but no new ones were taken. The state kept two older programs that existed before RAMP: the Emergency Solutions Grant and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Today MHC's RAMP page carries a short message: the program is closed, and ads or pages claiming to be RAMP are scams. The federal program behind it has also ended. The U.S. Treasury's Emergency Rental Assistance page says the last round's period of performance ended September 30, 2025, so even the city and county ERA programs that ran in a few places are finished.

Help by situation

No single office handles rent in Mississippi now. Pick the row closest to your situation and start two or three of these at the same time.

Rent money through community action agencies

Since RAMP closed, the most common source of rent money in Mississippi is the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). It is federal money that the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) passes to local community action agencies, and each agency decides how to spend it based on local needs. The MDHS CSBG page lists rental assistance and mortgage assistance among the things the money can pay for.

The income limit is 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. MDHS's current table shows these yearly limits:

The application starts online. On Access MS, you submit a pre-application and check "Community Services" as the program. MDHS sends it to the agency for your county, and the agency mails or emails you an appointment. You finish the application in person and bring the documents the letter lists. MDHS says the appointment should come within 30 business days if you are elderly, disabled, or have a child age 5 or younger, and within 45 days for everyone else.

That wait matters. If you already have a 3-day notice, the appointment may come after the court date. Still apply, but also call the agency directly, explain that you have a notice, and ask whether it can see you sooner. Then work the other options below at the same time. Our Mississippi hardship relief guide explains how to pair this pre-application with SNAP and TANF so that more of your cash can go to rent.

Emergency Solutions Grant prevention and rehousing

The Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) is HUD money for people who are homeless or about to become homeless. In Mississippi, MHC awards it each year to nonprofits and local governments, which then take applications from the public. MHC's ESG page describes four uses: street outreach, shelter, rapid rehousing, and homelessness prevention. For people who need help, the page points to an "Agency Contact Map" of local providers.

Two parts of ESG can help a renter:

• Homelessness prevention can pay rent arrears or short-term rent when you are at real risk of losing your home. Federal ESG rules aim this at very low incomes, generally at or below 30% of area median income, and providers usually ask for proof of risk. A written notice from your landlord is the clearest proof.
• Rapid rehousing helps people who are already homeless move into a rental, often with a deposit and a few months of rent while a case manager helps with income.

ESG money is awarded once a year and spent down as the year goes on. Ask the provider plainly whether it has prevention funds available right now and how long a decision takes.

211, charities, and housing authorities

211 Mississippi. Run by the United Way of the Capital Area, 211 Mississippi is a statewide referral line. Dial 2-1-1 and ask for "rent assistance" and "eviction prevention" by name, plus any church funds in your ZIP code. Call back every few weeks, because local funds open and close.

Charities and churches. The Salvation Army has corps in several Mississippi cities, and some offer one-time rent or utility help when funds allow. Use the Salvation Army location finder. Catholic Charities agencies serve Mississippi through the state's Catholic dioceses; find your office with the Catholic Charities USA help finder. Our guides to Salvation Army rental assistance and churches explain what to bring. Most charities pay part of a month, so tell each one what others have promised and ask them to pay the landlord together.

Housing authorities. If your rent is too high for the long run, a Housing Choice Voucher or public housing unit can cap what you pay at about 30% of income. Mississippi has city housing authorities and several regional housing authorities that cover groups of counties. Waiting lists open and close, so ask each one near you whether its list is open, and apply to more than one. HUD's rental assistance page explains the programs and how to find your local office. Our guide to tenant-based rental assistance covers how vouchers work.

Utility help. LIHEAP is run by the same community action agencies through the same Community Services pre-application. Federal rules cap income at 150% of poverty or 60% of state median income, and crisis help must be provided within 48 hours, or 18 hours in a life-threatening situation. See the MDHS LIHEAP page for the state's details.

Mississippi eviction notices and court steps

Most home rentals in Mississippi fall under the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act in Title 89, Chapter 8 of the state code. Cases are usually heard in justice court in the county where you live. Here is the timeline in plain terms.

The text of § 89-8-13 also allows the notice to arrive by email or text, but only if you agreed in writing to get notices that way. Check your lease for that clause. In a nonpayment hearing, the statute tells the judge to follow the terms of the signed rental agreement, so bring your lease and every rent receipt.

Your landlord cannot skip the court. Changing the locks, removing doors, or shutting off utilities to force you out is not a lawful eviction in Mississippi. If it happens, call legal aid right away.

Getting your deposit back. Under § 89-8-21, the landlord must return the unused part of your deposit, with a written list of any deductions, within 45 days after the tenancy ends. Ordinary wear and tear cannot be deducted. A landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith can owe up to $200 on top of your actual damages.

Paying in full after the judgment

One part of Mississippi law gives renters a real second chance, and many people never learn about it. Under Miss. Code § 89-7-35, when the judgment is based only on unpaid rent and you pay all the amounts owed by the move-out date the court set, no removal warrant may issue, and the landlord must accept that full payment in good faith.

That gives you about a week after a judgment to raise the full balance. Here is how people use that window:

• Ask the judge or clerk to tell you the exact amount owed under the judgment and the exact move-out date. Write both down.
• Bring the judgment to your community action agency, ESG provider, and any charity already helping you. A court date and a dollar figure make it easier for them to act fast.
• Pay in a way that leaves proof, such as a money order or cashier's check, and keep a copy.

The same section says that if a warrant is carried out, the landlord must give you reasonable access for 72 hours to collect your belongings. After that, property left behind is treated as abandoned. If the eviction was for something other than rent, or if you cannot raise the full amount, talk to legal aid about other options, including whether to appeal. Appeal deadlines are short, so ask the clerk about them on the day of the judgment.

Free legal help across the state

Mississippi's civil legal aid is divided by region. Call the office that covers your county first. If you are not sure which one that is, 211 can tell you.

• North Mississippi Rural Legal Services serves 39 northern counties, including the Delta and DeSoto, Lee, Lowndes, and Lafayette counties. New clients call the intake center at 1-800-898-8731, Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Mississippi Center for Legal Services covers a 43-county area in central and southern Mississippi. Call 1-800-773-1737 or use its online application.
• Mississippi Center for Justice is a nonprofit law firm that defends tenants facing eviction. It lists an eviction hotline at 228-702-9983 and a fair housing hotline at 877-352-2269, option 5.

You do not need a lawyer to appear in justice court, but going alone is risky. Call as soon as you get a notice, not the day before the hearing. If an eviction does end up on your record, our guide to second chance apartments that accept evictions can help with your next move.

A seven-day action plan

1. Day 1: Read the notice. Write down the date it arrived, how it was delivered, and the amount it says you owe.
2. Day 1: File the Community Services pre-application on Access MS, and call legal aid for your region.
3. Day 2: Dial 211 and ask for ESG prevention providers, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and church funds near you.
4. Day 2: Write to your landlord that you are seeking help, and ask whether a written pledge from an agency will pause the case.
5. Day 3: If utilities are part of the problem, ask your community action agency about LIHEAP crisis help.
6. Before court: Gather your lease, receipts, texts, and any letters from agencies. Go to every hearing on time.
7. After a judgment: Confirm the payoff amount and move-out date, and push every helper to pay before that date.

Related guides

• Mississippi hardship relief
• Louisiana rent relief
• Arkansas rent relief program
• Tennessee rent relief

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and court rules change, so confirm details with the agency, the court clerk, or a lawyer before you act. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Mississippi Home Corporation, MDHS, or any government agency.