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Emergency Financial Assistance
Rent and utility assistance for short-term financial emergencies is available in-person for Mecklenburg County residents at 500-A Spratt St, Monday - Friday from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.
Please review the list of documents you will need to bring to apply.
If you are at risk of eviction or utility disconnection while you or someone in your household has COVID or is experiencing symptoms of COVID, please do not come in person to seek assistance. Email our financial assistance team for instructions on how to apply remotely.
Applications for rent assistance submitted at Crisis Assistance Ministry are currently limited to people with an upcoming court date for an eviction hearing or those for whom the court date has passed.
What You Need to Provide
You will need to provide legible copies of the following along with your application:
- Picture ID of the person applying for financial assistance.
- Social Security documentation for all household members: Social Security (SS) card, documentation from the SS Administration, W2 form from an employer, paystub with a complete SS number, or W7 if applicable. If you are not registered with the SS Administration, you must provide some form of ID.
- Proof of household income over the past 30 days for all residents including earned and unearned income. Include all paystubs received by any household members during this period. If anyone receives unemployment, SSI, SSA, VA benefits, retirement pension, child support, disability payments, or income from any other source, you must provide verification of that income.
- Past due utility bills or disconnection notices in the name of an adult who resides at that address, if applying for utility assistance.
- Notice of an upcoming court date or court papers from a court date that has passed, if applying for rental assistance.
- Rental lease to verify your residence if you are seeking rent assistance.
Please print or copy documents that show complete name, mailing address, dates, and amounts. We cannot guarantee the return of original documents. Any missing items will require follow-up before your request can be considered.
How the Process Works
Our lobby is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. where you can complete and submit an application and consent form, along with the supporting documents listed above.
A staff member will review your application to make sure it’s complete, and then you’ll be free to go back home or to work. In some cases, other resources in the community may be most helpful. Our staff is trained to help steer you in the right direction based on your individual needs.
We prioritize cases to address the most immediate critical needs first, just like an emergency room. But you won’t have to sit in our waiting room until it’s your turn. You can read about this process here.
Our goal is to address people at imminent risk of eviction or disconnection first, and so on.
- For example, people with utilities already disconnected or scheduled for disconnection today are served before those who have a later date or a past due notice without a disconnection date.
- Similarly, those facing court-ordered eviction are addressed before those with a late notice for rent who have not been to court.
Caseworkers will follow up by phone, beginning with the most urgent requests, to discuss your situation and determine your eligibility for assistance. Depending on the nature of your emergency, it may be more than a week before you get a call. But you can stay comfortably at home, knowing that you will get a call before you are evicted or your utilities are disconnected.
While you are waiting, explore every resource available to you to address your financial need. During your phone assessment, you will be asked what amount you can contribute, in addition to any financial assistance that is approved, toward your past due balance. Still, there is no guarantee you will receive assistance. Typically, customers will be asked to provide some portion of a rent balance even if assistance is provided.
Our caseworkers are trained to understand many different challenges and to help you stay housed, keep your utilities on, and plan to avoid a future financial crisis. You and your caseworker may discuss different options that could help you after the interview.
If assistance is awarded, a check is issued directly to your utility vendor, landlord, or clerk of court.