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Phone and folded notice on a kitchen table

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You do not have to do this alone.

You are allowed to be scared. Legal aid, 211, and the crisis lines are free. They exist for this exact night. If a court is named on the paper, start with LawHelp today.

You do not have to solve the whole case tonight. Take the next right step.

211Find my state

If this is happening now

Immediate danger911Crisis line988Domestic violence1-800-799-7233Local services211Court papersLawHelp.org

Tonight

Three doors. Then the rest of the library.

Phone and folded notice on a kitchen table

Oregon

CAT, 211info, or LawHelp?

Four Oregon doors. They are not interchangeable.

Apartment window at dusk, keys on the sill

Los Angeles

Stay Housed, LAHD, or HRC?

Eviction defense is not the rent board, and not fair housing.

Folded notice and keys on a kitchen table

Every state

Write it down.

The paper, the date, the photos. That is already the case.

The rest of the desk

Every resource on this page is free, run by a government agency or a nonprofit, and available without paying anyone. If you have court papers, a lockout, no heat, a safety threat, or a deadline inside a few days, start with legal aid and 211 today rather than reading further.

Confirm locally

Confirm the rule for your state

Legal aid is organized by state. Find yours, then use LawHelp or the HUD page on that state file.

National directory

Free legal help

LawHelp.org — Find legal help by stateRoutes to the nonprofit legal-aid provider for your state. Free. Start here for anything involving a court, a notice, or a deadline.Legal Services Corporation — I need legal helpThe federal funder of civil legal aid maintains its own finder for LSC-funded offices.

Local services

211 — Call, text, or search for local helpDial 211 in most of the United States for rent and utility assistance, emergency shelter, food, and local referrals. Free, and available in many languages.211 — Find your local 211Some regions route differently. This finds the organization that answers for your area.

Federal

HUD — Tenant Rights, Laws and ProtectionsThe federal housing agency's index of state-by-state tenant rights pages.HUD — Local renting informationRental assistance, public housing, and local HUD office information by state.

Discrimination

HUD — Report housing discriminationHow to file a fair housing complaint with HUD, including the online form.HUD — How a fair housing complaint is investigatedWhat happens after a complaint is filed, in HUD's own words.

Money

CFPB — Help for rentersThe federal consumer bureau's renter hub, including eviction and assistance guidance.CFPB — Get help paying rent and billsOfficial routes to rental assistance programs, with no fee to apply.CFPB — Your tenant and debt collection rightsWhat federal debt-collection law says about rent debt and collectors.

Scams

FTC — Rental and housing scamsHow rental listing and assistance scams work, and how to report one.

Crisis

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988 anywhere in the United States. Free, and answered around the clock.SAMHSA — About 988The federal agency's page on how the 988 line works.

Safety

National Domestic Violence HotlineCall 1-800-799-7233, or use the chat on their site. Free, confidential, and answered around the clock. Housing is one of the things advocates help with.The Hotline — Local providers directoryLocal domestic violence programs, which often include housing advocates.

Disaster

DisasterAssistance.govThe federal front door for disaster assistance after a declared disaster. Renters can be eligible, not only homeowners.211 — Disaster recoveryLocal disaster recovery services and referrals.
  • We will never put an emergency resource behind a sign-up, an email, or a payment. If any site asks you to subscribe to see legal aid or a crisis line, that is a reason to leave it.
  • Legal aid offices have eligibility rules and capacity limits, and some have waiting lists. Call early, ask what documents to bring, and ask whether they can refer you if they cannot take the case.
  • Rental assistance is generally free to apply for. Anyone who asks you to pay a fee to apply, or who guarantees approval, is worth reporting to the FTC.

Common questions

What number should I call right now?

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 988. For domestic violence, 1-800-799-7233. For local rent, shelter, food, or utilities, dial 211. For court papers, start with LawHelp.org the same day.

Do I need an account to use this help page?

No. Emergency numbers, 211, and legal aid links are ungated. If a site asks you to subscribe before showing a crisis line, leave it.

Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org