Housing Assistance for Single Mothers in Nevada

Where to start in Nevada

Quick reference

Rent, deposit, and local emergency help

Nevada sends part of its Affordable Housing Trust Fund to local governments for households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Local offices may use the money for rent, a security deposit, utilities, a utility deposit, or mortgage help. The state housing fund does not take one direct application from every family. Contact the office serving your area.

The official local contact list includes Clark County, Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, Washoe County, Carson City, and rural county offices. Call before visiting because money can run out and each office may use different forms.

Clark County

Clark County Social Service lists general help for rent, utilities and housing costs. Its rental assistance page lists up to $400 for one person and up to $135 more for each added person per month, subject to the county’s full rules. Help is generally limited to once in 12 months unless the county finds a work barrier or qualifying disability. These are stated caps, not a promise of payment. Call 702-455-4270 to ask what general aid is accepting requests.

The county application portal now says its Eviction Prevention program has no funds left. It says neither new nor pending applications for that fund can be processed. This does not close all Clark County aid: its general Financial Assistance Service is a separate path. Ask what is open before applying. The county also states that cases referred by the Las Vegas Justice Court to the Eviction Diversion Program are not covered by this closure notice; people already referred can ask the court program at 702-671-3322.

Washoe County and Reno

The Reno Housing Authority has reported limits on its Homeless Prevention Program for Washoe County. Ask the office if funds or referrals have changed. Its applicant page lists housing waitlists, not emergency rent grants. Ask Reno, Sparks, Washoe County and Nevada 211 about local rent, deposit and shelter help.

For help with other urgent needs, use the Nevada emergency guide while you wait for housing offices to respond.

Section 8, public housing, and waitlists

The Housing Choice Voucher program, often called Section 8, helps an eligible household rent from a private landlord. Public housing and project-based vouchers are tied to a property. These programs are long-term housing paths, not same-day rent help.

Income, household size, citizenship or eligible immigration rules, screening, and local preferences may affect eligibility. Getting on a list is not approval. The Section 8 guide explains the basic process.

Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority

The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority (SNRHA) serves Clark County, including Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson. It has Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing, affordable housing, and Rental Assistance Demonstration or project-based housing.

The SNRHA website announces a new project-based voucher waitlist opening on October 26, 2026. Openings can cover only selected properties or groups. Read the notice for the property rules, the application time and the close date. Do not treat this as an opening of the general Housing Choice Voucher list. The applicant page has steps. Keep the email, password and confirmation from your application.

Reno Housing Authority

The RHA applicant page lists all public housing sites and several project-based sites as open, while the general Housing Choice Voucher list is closed. Some project-based sites serve only people of a certain age or with other traits. Check each list before applying.

Nevada Rural Housing

Nevada Rural Housing serves counties outside Clark and Washoe. On September 14, 2026, it reopened project-based lists at Southgate II (Carson City), Larios Arms II and Mountain View Village (Winnemucca), and Pioche Apartments (Pioche). The official notice says these stay open until further notice. Southgate II is for older adults or people with disabilities; Larios Arms II is for adults 55 or older. Mountain View Village and Pioche have options for eligible families, subject to unit size and other rules. Apply through the portal on that notice or ask for help at 775-887-1795. The main Housing Choice Voucher waiting list remains closed; these property lists are separate.

After applying anywhere, save the confirmation number. Report changes in your address, phone, email, income, or household. A housing office may remove an application if it cannot reach you.

Finding an affordable rental

A voucher waitlist and an apartment waitlist are not the same thing. You can search for income-restricted properties even when a general voucher list is closed.

NVHousingSearch is Nevada’s free statewide housing locator. Search by county, rent, bedroom size, accessibility needs, and voucher acceptance. A listing is not a promise that a unit is still open, so call the property before paying a fee or sending documents.

Ask each property:

• Is a unit available now?
• Is there a separate waitlist?
• What is the full move-in cost?
• What income limit applies?
• Do you accept Housing Choice Vouchers?
• Is an accessible unit available?

Moving into a new place may also mean buying beds or basic goods. Check free household items in Nevada for related options. Ask each group if it serves your ZIP code.

Energy assistance and weatherization

Nevada’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps eligible households with heating and cooling costs. The state evaluates applications year-round or until funds run out. Eligible households normally receive one annual credit paid to the energy provider.

The state’s FY 2027 EAP income chart gives the limits below. The basic income screen is 150% of the federal poverty level. You must live in Nevada, have a qualifying status, and be responsible for some home energy costs. The office reviews the whole application.

These FY 2027 limits apply from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Add $710 for each person over eight. Final eligibility depends on the full case.

The EAP application page explains the form and proof to send. This may include recent income, ID, energy bills and permission to use a bill in another person’s name. If you received EAP before, ask when you can reapply; about 11 months between benefits is common. Call the agency if your power may be shut off: Nevada also lists special EAP paths for some urgent cases. Those have added rules and are not guaranteed.

Weatherization is different from a bill payment. The Nevada weatherization program uses local providers to assess an eligible home and decide which energy-saving or safety work may be done. Renters may apply, but the property owner may need to approve work.

For more utility steps, check Nevada utility help.

Eviction, landlord problems, and fair housing

This is general information, not legal advice. Do not ignore a notice. Nevada uses different eviction notices and deadlines. For some nonpayment cases, Nevada Legal Services describes a seven-day rent notice, but the right action depends on the notice, court and tenancy. Read every page, note how and when it was served, and ask legal aid how to respond in time. See its eviction notice guide. A rent-aid application does not pause a court case.

Nevada Legal Services provides statewide civil legal help and eviction intake. In Southern Nevada, the tenant rights hotline from Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada handles eviction and housing questions. The statewide Nevada court guide explains court forms and directs Clark and Washoe County residents to local self-help sites.

Do not assume a landlord can change the locks or remove you without a legal process. If you face a lockout, utility shutoff by a landlord, unsafe conditions, or a notice you do not understand, ask legal aid what rules apply to your case.

If you believe a landlord, property manager, lender, or housing program treated you differently because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability, use the HUD complaint page. Familial status includes households with children and pregnancy. Time limits may apply.

The Nevada legal guide lists more civil legal resources.

Safety, disability, and school help

Domestic violence

The Nevada Attorney General provides a Nevada safety directory with local domestic violence programs. Use a safer phone or computer when possible if someone may monitor your device. Ask an advocate about shelter, confidential services, protection-order information, and housing options.

Disability accommodations

If a disability makes it hard to use a portal, attend an appointment, understand notices, or live in a standard unit, ask the housing authority or property for a reasonable accommodation. The request does not promise approval, but the office should explain its process. The disability help guide covers related benefit and caregiver paths.

School help during homelessness

If your family is staying in a shelter, motel, car, temporary place, or doubled up because you lost housing, contact your child’s school district McKinney-Vento liaison. The Nevada school program says eligible students may receive immediate enrollment and help with transportation, school records, clothing, fees, and other school needs.

Documents to gather

Do not delay your first call because a paper is missing. Ask what the office accepts, then gather the records below. If you do not have a lease, ID or proof of income, ask what other proof they accept.

If help is denied, delayed, or closed

Ask for the decision in writing. Find out whether the problem is a closed list, missing document, income rule, household rule, screening issue, deadline, or lack of funds.

Ask what appeal, hearing, grievance, review, or reasonable-accommodation process applies. Save notices, portal screenshots, emails, forms, and confirmation numbers. Keep a log of calls and names.

Follow the exact rules of the housing authority, county office, court, or energy program in your case. If a housing list closed or a grant has no money, ask what other list or agency you can try. If you received a formal denial, ask how to request a review before the deadline.