 TITLE: What to Do if You Can’t Afford to Pay Rent CONTENT: Apply for Financial Assistance\n------------------------------\nIt can be alarming to find yourself in a position where you can't make ends meet, but luckily there are community and government resources to help.\nUnderstanding what resources exist in your local community is a great way to start your search for financial help. The National Low Income Housing Coalition, for example, has a searchable database you can use to find Emergency Rental Assistance programs near you. If you're struggling to access other essentials, like food, utilities or health care, 211.org is a useful resource to explore your options.\nSometimes local nonprofits and other community programs offer short-term rent assistance and other types of grant programs too. For example, many Salvation Army and Catholic Charities USA locations offer one-time rent assistance grants. The requirements vary for these programs and organizations, but they could be worth checking.\nAdditionally, if you are a member of a religious congregation or other local cultural or community institution, reach out to the local leaders and explain your situation. Many places of worship and local membership organizations often set aside funds for charity (sometimes called a \"benevolence fund\") to help their members through tough times.\nThere are also numerous local and federal government programs designed to assist people when they're facing hard times. Some programs might be specific to your state or city, but many are open to residents living almost anywhere in the United States. You can visit Benefits.gov to search for programs you might be eligible for. You can also check out more affordable housing options, especially if you worry that housing costs will continue to be a challenge for you.\nWhen you're in a serious pinch, it might be tempting to ignore other financial obligations, like student loans payments and credit card bills, but it's important to take a long-term view. If your current situation winds up negatively impacting your credit, it can become harder to secure credit in the future. One way you may be able to prevent this is to reach out to creditors before you miss any payments and let them know you're in a bind. They may be willing to work with you to push back a payment or find another solution that provides a bit of breathing room. In fact, many financial services organizations are offering debt relief programs due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on many people's finances. END