Everyone needs somewhere to live, but not everyone has the money, means, and credit to make it happen on their own. Whether they are struggling due to having bad credit or they have a low income, it can make obtaining housing more difficult. It is important to know about other ways to about securing housing if these issues are impacting you and your family.
Below you will find information about how to find housing with bad credit and low income. While you likely are already aware of it, having bad credit can make obtaining a house or apartment very difficult. Most of the time, there will be a credit check, so that landlords can determine if they think you will pay the rent or not. Having bad credit may lead them to feel you won’t pay for the rent. Also, having a low income can limit your options on where you can rent a place.
Despite having bad credit and a low income, you still need a place to live. So what exactly are you supposed to do? Well, the good news is that you still have options to explore, and you will need to check them out, so that you find a place for you and your family to live despite the issues that are holding you back.
Finding Housing Options
There are no two ways around it. The bottom line is that if you have bad credit and a low income it is a combination that is going to make finding housing more difficult. You have probably already experienced this, which is why you are reading this in the first place. Having said that, don’t despair! There are still ways to find places to live even if you do not make a lot of money and your credit score is low.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – The first place you should contact if you need help finding housing and have bad credit and a low income is HUD. This is a federal agency that is in charge of housing issues in the country. They have an office in every state in the country. They provide a range of programs to help people with their housing needs. Their main priority is helping those who have a low income to find housing, so that they don’t become homeless. Regardless of your credit score, HUD can help you find affordable housing options. They offer public housing, which is a program that provides people with a government owned unit to live in. They also offer a voucher program, which allows you to choose where to live and they help you pay for it. They also help people locate affordable housing options in their area. To get assistance from HUD, you have to have a low income and be a citizen or legal non-citizen. For more information and to apply for help, contact the HUD office in your area. To see a list of HUD offices by state, click here.
Public Housing Authority – Also called a Public Housing Agency, you can find these offices around the country. They are found in each state and often in larger counties. They are funded by state government offices. Similar to HUD, they provide help to those with a low income to help them find affordable housing options in the area they live in. If you contact a Public Housing Authority office in your area they should be able to provide you with referrals of where you can find affordable housing that will accept people with bad credit and a low income. They should also have access to programs that will help pay for your rent or make it more affordable for you to pay. They help those who have a low income and are citizens or legal non-citizens. To get more information and find an office near you, click here.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – This government agency offers a rural development program that would be open to those who have a low income and bad credit. Those who are approved for the program will be able to buy or build a home in a rural area of the country, with funding from the USDA rural development program. The program essentially funds people developing rural areas of the country. Depending on your income level, you may receive a grant or loan to do the buying or building of the home. Those who receive grants will not have to pay it back, while those who are offered a loan will have to pay that back over time. This program is available in all 50 states around the country. To get more information about the program, click here.
Referrals – Some places may still rent to you if you have bad credit if you have been referred by a credible source. If you have a friend or family member who has a good reputation in the community, they may be able to refer you to someone who will rent to you based off that referral and be willing to overlook the fact that you have bad credit. You will, of course, need to still make enough income to be able to afford the rent.
Contact Houses for Rent – While most houses that are for rent have landlords that do require those renting the place to have good credit and a higher income, which is not the case with all of them. There are many places for rent that will rent to those who have bad credit and a low income. The neighborhood may not be in the most desirable area, but renting one of the places would give you an opportunity to pay the rent on time, which will help you build a good credit, and will give you a place to live. Once you live there for a year or two, paying the rent on time, your credit score should improve, and then you will have more options to explore to move somewhere else.
