Housing Assistance for Single Mothers in Wyoming

Where to start

Quick reference

Emergency rent and shelter help

Wyoming does not have one permanent statewide rent-assistance application for every household. Local shelters, Community Action agencies, churches, cities, counties, and nonprofit groups may have short-term help at different times. Do not assume an older COVID-era emergency rental fund is taking new applications; ask a current local provider through 211.

Use the Wyoming 211 directory to search for rent payment assistance, deposits, motel help, shelters, utility help, and landlord-tenant support. Call before traveling because a listing may have changed, closed, or run out of money.

When you call, explain the exact problem. Say whether you need one month’s rent, a deposit, a shelter bed, a motel, help moving, or help stopping a utility shutoff. Ask what county the program serves, whether it is taking applications today, what it pays for, and whether it pays the landlord or provider directly. Ask for written next steps.

Community Action agencies may also help with housing referrals, utilities, food, or employment needs. Ask Wyoming 211 to identify the local agency serving your county and whether it can accept new requests.

Section 8 and public housing

Housing Choice Vouchers, often called Section 8, help eligible households rent from private landlords. Public housing is tied to units owned or managed by a housing authority. Project-based vouchers are tied to certain apartments.

Housing authorities usually review income, household size, citizenship or eligible immigration status, screening rules, and local preferences. People with disabilities can ask for reasonable accommodations. Being placed on a waiting list is not approval; lists can open or close with short notice. Different voucher, public housing, and apartment lists may have different rules.

Use the HUD housing contacts to find public housing agencies, then confirm the live status with the local office.

The Rock Springs city housing page explains its Section 8 program, but its live application status could not be independently confirmed during this review. Older housing listings report an open list. Ask the office whether to apply online, in person, or by mail, and which papers it needs. Past instructions named Social Security cards, birth certificates, income proof, and adult photo IDs; ask about replacements if documents are missing.

The Cheyenne Housing Authority FAQ says its waitlist is open, but it does not give applicants a fixed spot number. Returned mail can lead to removal from its waiting lists. Tell each housing office in writing when your address, phone, email, income, or household changes. Keep proof of the update.

Affordable apartments

Not every affordable apartment uses a Section 8 voucher. Some properties have income limits through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, HOME, National Housing Trust Fund, USDA Rural Development, or another housing program.

The Wyoming Community Development Authority keeps a Wyoming rental directory with names, locations, and contact information for affordable developments. The property manager decides whether a unit is vacant, what rent applies, and which documents are needed.

Call each property and ask about vacancies, bedroom sizes, income limits, rent, deposits, screening fees, accessibility, and waitlists. Never send money before you confirm the property and understand whether a fee is refundable.

If you need help understanding a lease, budget, or rental search, rental counseling through Wyoming Housing Network may help with planning and referrals. Counseling does not guarantee a unit or payment.

LIEAP, Weatherization, and utility help

Wyoming’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) helps eligible households pay part of their winter heating bills. It is not a rental-assistance program. The amount depends on heating needs, income, family size, and available funding.

The official Wyoming LIEAP page says applications for October 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027 are open. Apply through the state portal linked on that page. If you cannot use the portal, call 1-800-246-4221 for phone help. A new application is needed each season.

Who may apply: Wyoming households with total income at or below 60% of state median income may qualify for LIEAP. Renters and homeowners can apply. Your bill, income, and household details matter; check the current agency guidelines rather than assuming approval. Keep a recent heating and electric bill, income proof, and identification ready.

Important crisis condition: Since October 1, 2026, crisis applicants must show at least one verifiable utility payment on the primary or secondary utility within the past 60 days. The state also describes help with recent disconnect notices. If you cannot show a payment, ask what other aid or review may be possible; do not assume regular LIEAP and crisis aid have identical rules.

The Weatherization program takes applications year-round. It can pay for approved insulation, sealing, or safety-related energy work, not a heating bill. Renters can apply but need written landlord permission. LIEAP approval causes consideration for Weatherization, not guaranteed home repairs.

Energy Share of Wyoming is a last-resort nonprofit source for some energy emergencies when other help is not available. It says applicants should contact a local Salvation Army for screening; ask whether money is available today. The Wyoming utility guide covers more ways to handle heating, electricity, water, and shutoff problems.

Eviction, landlord problems, and fair housing

This section gives general information, not legal advice. If you receive a Notice to Quit, summons, complaint, or hearing date, act quickly and keep every page.

The Wyoming Judicial Branch says a landlord generally must give a written 72-hour (3-day) Notice to Quit before starting a standard eviction case. A landlord must use the court process; the notice by itself does not let a landlord lock you out. If the landlord files a case, you may receive a Forcible Entry and Detainer complaint and summons with a court date. The court’s Wyoming eviction guide says hearings may be set only 3–12 days after the summons. Follow the dates on your own papers; do not skip court because you requested rent help.

Legal Aid of Wyoming handles some housing problems, including eviction, repairs, security deposits, fair housing, subsidized housing, and mobile homes. It is free for eligible clients but help depends on the case and capacity. Contact Legal Aid right away and check the Wyoming legal guide for other civil legal resources. A written payment agreement with the landlord may help, but do not rely on a verbal promise to stop a court 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 to review federal fair housing options. Familial status includes households with children and pregnancy.

School, disability, and safety help

School help during homelessness

If your family is staying in a shelter, motel, car, temporary place, or another home because you lost housing, contact the school district’s McKinney-Vento liaison. The Wyoming school program says each district has a liaison. Ask about enrolling right away, transportation, school records, and help with attendance. Families staying temporarily with others due to loss of housing may also qualify.

Disability accommodations

If a disability makes it hard to complete an application, attend an appointment, receive notices, or use a standard unit, ask the housing authority or property about a reasonable accommodation. An accommodation request does not promise approval, but the office should explain its process.

Domestic violence support

The Wyoming advocacy directory lists local domestic violence and sexual assault programs by county and reservation. Advocates may discuss shelter, confidential services, legal support, and housing options. Avoid leaving detailed messages if someone unsafe can access your phone.

Homebuyer and home repair help

Homebuyer programs are not emergency rent help. They may fit a household with steady income that is ready to compare mortgage costs, repairs, taxes, insurance, and transportation.

The Wyoming Community Development Authority offers mortgage and down-payment-assistance products through participating lenders. Start with the WCDA homebuyer page and ask which product, income limit, purchase-price limit, credit rule, and education requirement applies to your household.

The USDA direct loan may help eligible low- and very-low-income applicants buy a home in an eligible rural area. Approval depends on income, repayment ability, property eligibility, and other federal rules.

For current homeowners, the USDA repair program offers loans to eligible very-low-income homeowners for repairs and improvements. Grants are limited to eligible homeowners age 62 or older who need to remove health and safety hazards.

Documents to gather

Do not delay your first call because one paper is missing. Ask what substitutes the program accepts, then build a folder. Keep digital or paper copies, dates, confirmation numbers, and your case ID where available. Eviction and shutoff notices need action now even if your file is not complete.

If help is denied, delayed, or closed

For vouchers or public housing: Ask the housing authority for the written reason and the deadline for any informal review, hearing, or appeal. Rules differ for applicants and people already receiving assistance. If you need a disability accommodation to file or attend a hearing, ask for one in writing. Do not miss the notice deadline while waiting for a callback.

For LIEAP: Read the notice and check the missing-document and income rules. Wyoming DFS says people denied because of missing verification or reduced income may be able to reapply in the state portal. Call 1-800-246-4221 and ask about reapplication, complaint and review steps. If the issue is not resolved, the state says to request a supervisor, then the program manager.

For rent help or a shelter: Ask whether money is unavailable, your county is outside the service area, or a document is missing. A local charity may not have a formal appeals process; ask for a new referral through 211.

For eviction: Follow the dates on court papers. A housing application or referral will not automatically stop the court case. Ask legal aid what response, hearing, or appeal options apply to your case.

Keep all letters, screenshots, emails, copies, names, and dates. Ask for language help or a reasonable accommodation if you need one. This is general information, not legal advice.