Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Housing Assistance

Housing assistance helps prevent homelessness by providing individuals and families in need with additional resources to locate and afford housing.

  • The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps families with low incomes afford their home energy bills and weather-related home repairs. States administer funds to families in need through local programs. Eligibility criteria for the LIHEAP varies by state.
  • Section 8 Certificate Programs increases the availability of affordable housing through vouchers that pay the difference between the contract rent and the tenant's portion of the rent. This program increases access to safe and sanitary housing for families.
  • The USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program assists families with low and moderate incomes to access adequate, modest, safe, and sanitary housing in rural areas. The program provides a 90% loan note guarantee to pre-approved lenders.