Housing & Rent Assistance

North Carolina's Tenant Security Deposit Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. 42-50 to 42-56) is short. It covers every security deposit in Raleigh and the rest of the state. It caps how much a landlord can take, limits what the money can be used for, sets a 30-day deadline to return it with an itemized list, and penalizes landlords who willfully ignore the rules. This guide walks through the law in the order you'll need it: when you move in, while you live there, when you move out, and if t

Three "sevens" run through most Louisville evictions. There's a 7-day notice for unpaid rent. A judge's order gives you 7 days to move out. And either side gets 7 days to appeal, but on appeal you have to deposit rent with the court. Those are the rules. This guide explains each one, along with where eviction court meets, how to appear by Zoom, and what changed on the docket in May 2026. Last checked October 2026. Legal rules come from KRS 383.660 and 383.255, Louisville Metr

Louisiana's eviction law is short enough to read in a few minutes, and it moves fast. The most important deadlines are counted in days and hours, not weeks. A New Orleans tenant who waits for a second letter can lose the chance to stay or to appeal. This guide follows the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure step by step. It explains where New Orleans cases are heard and who gives free legal help under the city's Right to Counsel ordinance. Last checked October 2026. Legal rules

Evictions in Wisconsin move fast. A summons in an eviction case can set your first court date as few as five days after the papers are issued. If you miss that date, the landlord can get a judgment for what they asked for. Milwaukee County also has more free help than most places: a right-to-counsel program, free mediation that can keep an eviction judgment off your record, and rent-assistance agencies. This guide follows a Milwaukee eviction from the notice to the sheriff's

In Columbus, the most important part of an eviction case often happens on the 11th floor of the Franklin County Municipal Court, in the hour before your hearing. That's where free lawyers screen tenants, where county caseworkers check for rent money, and where mediators try to settle cases. Tenants who skip court, or show up late, miss all of it. This guide follows a Columbus eviction from the notice to the red tag. The court-day section is written hour by hour. Last checked

If your family is about to lose a place to sleep in Columbus or anywhere in Franklin County, there is one door: the Homeless Hotline at (614) 274-7000. It's open 24 hours a day. You can't simply walk into a family shelter. Families are placed through the hotline and a diversion process run under the Community Shelter Board (CSB) system. This guide explains each stage of that process, what staff will ask, and what you can do to move through it. Last checked October 2026. Facts

In Indianapolis, eviction cases are often filed in one of the nine township small claims courts rather than downtown. The court on your papers depends on your township. Each court has its own address and phone number. An Indiana eviction also usually has two hearings. The first decides whether you have to move. The second decides how much money anyone owes. Missing either one can cost you. This guide is a set of common tenant questions, answered in order. Last checked October

Portland renters get two layers of security deposit protection. Oregon law (ORS 90.300) sets the statewide floor. Portland City Code 30.01.087 adds stronger rules on top, including a cap on how much a landlord can collect, mandatory move-in condition reports with photos, limits on charges for painting and flooring, and up to $250 per violation in damages. This guide follows a deposit through the life of a tenancy: move-in, during the lease, and move-out. That way you know wha

Nevada's eviction system is different from most states. In a summary eviction, the landlord doesn't have to file a lawsuit first. You get a notice. If you do nothing, the landlord can ask the court for a lockout order without any hearing. The only thing that gets you in front of a judge is filing a Tenant's Affidavit/Answer with the court before the notice runs out. Everything below is about protecting that one deadline and what comes after it. Last checked October 2026. Fact

Florida evictions move fast. The most common way tenants lose a case they could have fought is missing a 5-business-day deadline or not putting rent into the court registry. This guide walks through a Tampa eviction in order, from the notice on your door to the sheriff's 24-hour posting. Each step tells you what the law requires and what you can do. Last checked October 2026. Facts come from Florida Statutes Chapter 83 and section 51.011, the Hillsborough County Clerk of Cour

Most St. Louis evictions for unpaid rent are filed as rent and possession cases under Chapter 535 of Missouri law. They move fast. The court date can be within weeks of filing, and a judgment becomes final 10 days after it's entered. Tenants usually lose their chance by missing one of those dates, not because their case was weak. This guide follows a rent and possession case from start to finish and shows where you can still act. If you live in the City of St. Louis, you may

In the City of San Diego, families can't usually just show up at a shelter and get a bed. Shelter beds go through a Coordinated Intake System. An outreach worker meets with you, enters you into a database, and an Intake Coordinator matches you to an open bed. The way in is 2-1-1. This guide explains that process for families with children: who to call, what outreach staff will check, what to bring, and what to do in the meantime. Last checked October 2026. Facts come from the

In North Carolina, an eviction case is called summary ejectment. In Charlotte it's heard in Mecklenburg County small claims court by a magistrate, not a judge. It moves fast: the NC Judicial Branch says eviction hearings are usually set within 10 to 15 days of the landlord filing. Three mistakes can sink a tenant's case: not showing up, moving out before you have to, and missing the 10-day appeal window. This guide walks through the process in order, so you know what's coming

Washington, DC has some of the strongest security deposit rules in the region. A landlord can't charge more than one month's rent. The deposit must sit in an interest-bearing account. And after you move out, the landlord has a set timeline to return it with interest. If you can't afford a deposit because you're facing homelessness, DC's Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) may help pay the deposit and first month's rent in some situations. This guide covers both, using

If you're moving in Denver, the deposit and first month's rent can be the biggest hurdles. If you're moving out, getting your deposit back can decide whether you can afford the next place. This guide covers both. It explains how Denver's Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance (TRUA) program can pay a security deposit and first month's rent when an eviction can't be prevented. It also covers the Colorado deposit protections that took effect January 1, 2026 under HB25-1249. La

Moving in Los Angeles is expensive. First month's rent plus a deposit can add up to thousands of dollars before you get the keys. Since July 1, 2024, California law has capped security deposits at one month's rent for most rentals. Tenants also have new rights to photos and documentation when a landlord keeps part of the deposit. This guide explains the cap, the exceptions, how to get your deposit back, what to do if a landlord won't return it, and where some LA families can

In Denver, families with minor children don't apply to each shelter separately. The city routes family shelter through one phone line: the Salvation Army Connection Center at (303) 295-3366. It screens families for eligibility and manages referrals to family shelters such as the Theodora Family Hotel and the Lambuth Family Center. This guide explains how to call, what happens next, which family shelters exist, where to go during the day, and help for domestic violence survivo

If your family needs a place to stay tonight in Chicago, the first step is simple: call 311 and ask for shelter. The city's Shelter Transport and Response (STAR) Program runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It tracks open shelter beds, matches families to them, and provides transportation. Families also have a walk-in option: the Salvation Army Shield of Hope (also called the Emergency Homeless Assessment and Response Center, or EHARC) on the West Side. This guide explains h

If your family has nowhere safe to sleep in Washington, DC, there's one front door for help: the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center (VWFRC). It's the District's central intake office for families seeking help with housing. Every referral to DC's family shelters, called Short-Term Family Housing (STFH), goes through it. This guide explains who qualifies, when and where to go, what to bring, what to do after hours, and what other help VWFRC can connect you to. Last checke

In California, an eviction lawsuit is called an unlawful detainer (UD). These cases move fast. Most tenants who are handed the papers have only 10 court days to file an Answer. If you miss that deadline, you can lose without a trial. If you live in the City of Los Angeles, you may qualify for a free lawyer through the city's Right to Counsel program, run with Stay Housed LA. This guide covers each step, from the notice through the sheriff, and how to apply for help. Last chec