Rent Assistance in Tennessee

Single mothers are faced with various challenges when it comes to providing for their families due to the ever-increasing cost of living. Low-income families often have to compromise on essential needs such as food, healthcare, clothing, and transportation cost just to be able to make their rental payments. To keep families safe from homelessness, and safe from having to heal from the trauma associated with homelessness, various programs have been started. These programs offer services beyond rental assistance, they offer holistic assistance to families that intend to help them maintain their homes. The services are to ensure that the family will never have to experience homelessness. This paper will detail a few of these programs and where they can be accessed.

Churches and Charities Rent Assistance

Rooftop is assisted by local churches to help individuals with emergency bill payments and outstanding rentals. Firstly, the individual applies for assistance, either online or physically. This is followed by an interview via telephone by a social service specialist from Rooftop. If the candidate is not eligible for assistance, they are referred to other agencies. In the reverse case, the social service worker prepares all the necessary paperwork and submits it to a review team. Once the application is approved the balance is paid directly to the landlord or mortgager. The recipient must illustrate the capacity to pay off their bills for the followings month or months. http://rooftopnashville.org/

The Housing Fund advocates for the economically comprehensive development of affordable houses for everyone. They aim to create a safe and healthy community for low and middle-income earners can live. They have helped in the development of affordable apartments for the needy, temporary shelters for the homeless, and self-owned family homes. https://thehousingfund.org/

Eviction and Legal Assistanc

Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) provides representation for the poor, crippled, the elderly in legal matters. They represent families on foreclosure cases, unlawful evictions, deposit claims, disputes with landlords over unpaid rent. https://malsi.org/

Shelter Assistance

Nashville Rescue Mission uses Christianity to help the community.  They focus on turning the entire life of individuals for the better. They motivate the community members with scriptural and biblical teachings urging them to live for Christ. Their doors are always open to everyone- the homeless, hungry, victims of abuse and rape, single parents, addicts. Those who have been in the program for a while become an inspiration for those still struggling. The Nashville Rescue Mission simply provides hope for those in despair.

https://nashvillerescuemission.org/

Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) Emergency Services assists families to pay their bills and mortgages in the event of job losses or emergencies. For one to get assistance, they should provide data and documentation. After evaluation of this information, it is decided whether they will be offered any help or not. Homeless families with minor children are immediately offered temporary shelter until permanent has been found for them. Their future programs include coordination with clinics and hospitals to gain more access to elderly people in need of food and support. They are aimed at increasing the number of recipients and the services provided. https://www.mifa.org/families

Housing Authority Assistance

The Oak Ridge Housing Authority (ORHA) manages resourceful housing programs that develop opportunities for neighborhoods and families. Their programs lessen the need for more expensive support measures and guarantee safe, inexpensive housing that is attractive, clean, and well-maintained. Helping families in the community to continuously work towards their independence. ORHA is a cherished partner in the community by steadily making over neighborhoods while leading low-income earning working families, veterans, and elderly to greater self-sufficiency. The organization will occasionally hire an expert, experienced and non-skilled workforce to align with several operational requirements. These services are engaged under contract or hired on a part-time basis. https://orha.net/