Find answers to frequently asked questions about the ND Rent Help program.
ND Rent Help has the ability to keep applications in “draft” status open for a period of time. “Draft” applications include any application (either new or recertification) that is not yet complete. We have tried to keep draft applications open as long as we can to try to make it easy for people to submit their information as they had time to do so.
As of May 1, all draft applications have been closed. Your link no longer works because your application was in a draft status.
If you are a formerly homeless household and are continuing to participate in the housing stability program, you may be receiving a new link to continue program participation.
No, that is not true. ND Rent Help is no longer accepting new applications for its broadly defined rent/utility assistance program. The housing stability program, focused on serving households experiencing homelessness, continues. ND Rent Help will also continue to make payments on applications that have already been approved for payment.
The program continues to process completed applications based on priority order and as funds are available.
ND Rent Help prioritizes applications based on critical need. Factors that determine urgency of need include eviction court dates and utility disconnect notices, homelessness, household income levels, and extended periods of unemployment.
The program was designed to allow a household to be eligible for up to 12 months of assistance, based both on continued household eligibility and on availability of funding. Assistance is approved 3 months at a time via the recertification process.
If you have a letter of commitment, it means you were experiencing homelessness at the time you applied for assistance. ND Rent Help will continue to redetermine your eligibility every 3 months as per the language in the letter of commitment. If your housing provider has questions and wants to talk to someone at ND Rent Help, please encourage them to give our customer service center at 701-328-1907. The customer service agents will connect providers to the appropriate team members who can answer their questions.
Yes. If you already received approval the program will send payments to your housing or utility provider as scheduled.
You will receive an update from us no later than May 15 via email. We’ll also try to update the status of your application on your personal dashboard by that time.
We have more than 18,000 active applications and, there are so many unique situations that we can’t offer a simple answer that would make sense for everyone. We really appreciate your patience as we work through everyone’s information. We are committed to giving you an update on your individual case as soon as we possibly can.
We are working with the network of application counselors who have been supporting ND Rent Help applicants to help connect you to other resources that may be available to help you.
Particularly, if you haven’t already applied for Low Income Home Energy Assistance (known as LIHEAP), we strongly encourage you to do so. This could be a source of longer term help with some of your utility costs.
There are also programs that can help with food and child care costs. All of them are available through the state’s integrated eligibility portal at applyforhelp.nd.gov. We’ll be including more information on the self service portal in future messages.