What we verified in “Emergency shelter and rapid rehousing: how to get help”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. Under the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) rule (24 CFR 576.100), ESG funds may be used for five components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing and the homeless management information system (HMIS).

   Sources 1 · 24 CFR 576.100(a): 'ESG funds may be used for five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter,'; 'homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, and HMIS' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.102), funds may pay for essential services for people in shelters, renovating buildings to use as emergency shelter for homeless families and individuals, and operating shelters; essential services include case management, child care, education, employment assistance and job training, outpatient health services, legal services, life skills training, mental health, substance abuse treatment and transportation.

   Sources 2 · 24 CFR 576.102(a): 'ESG funds may be used for costs of providing essential services'; 'renovating buildings to be used as emergency shelter for homeless families and individuals'; 'operating emergency shelters'; (a)(1)(i)–(x): case management, child care, education services, employment assistance and job training, outpatient health services, legal services, life skills training, mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, transportation · Checked October 31, 2026

3. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.102(b)), the age of a child under 18 may not be used as a reason to deny a family admission to an emergency shelter that uses ESG funds and shelters families with children under 18.

   Sources 2 · 24 CFR 576.102(b): 'The age, of a child under age 18 must not be used as a basis for denying any family's admission to an emergency shelter' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.2), a homeless person includes someone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, such as someone sleeping in a place not designed for sleeping or in a shelter; someone who will lose their primary nighttime residence within 14 days of applying for help, has no other housing identified and lacks the resources or support networks to get it; certain unaccompanied youth under 25 and families with children; and someone fleeing or trying to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking who has no other residence and lacks the resources to get other permanent housing.

   Sources 3 · 24 CFR 576.2, 'Homeless': 'lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence'; 'not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings'; 'the primary nighttime residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance'; 'no subsequent residence has been identified'; 'lacks the resources or support networks'; 'Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth'; 'fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.103), homelessness prevention may provide housing relocation and stabilization services and short- or medium-term rental assistance so a person or family does not have to move into an emergency shelter; it is for people at risk of homelessness or who meet certain parts of the homeless definition, with annual income below 30 percent of HUD's median family income for the area, and only to the extent the help is needed for the participant to regain stability.

   Sources 4 · 24 CFR 576.103: 'housing relocation and stabilization services and short- and/or medium-term rental assistance'; 'below 30 percent of median family income for the area, as determined by HUD'; 'to the extent that the assistance is necessary to help the program participant regain stability' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.104), rapid re-housing provides housing relocation and stabilization services and rental assistance so a homeless person or family can move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability there; it is for people who meet paragraph (1) of the homeless definition, or paragraph (4) if they live in a shelter or a place described in paragraph (1).

   Sources 5 · 24 CFR 576.104: 'ESG funds may be used to provide housing relocation and stabilization services'; 'move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing'; 'who meet the criteria under paragraph (1) of the "homeless" definition' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.105), financial assistance may pay rental application fees, a security deposit of no more than 2 months' rent, last month's rent, utility deposits, up to 24 months of utility payments per participant and moving costs; and services may include housing search and placement, housing stability case management, mediation, legal services and credit repair.

   Sources 6 · 24 CFR 576.105(a)–(b): 'Rental application fees'; 'a security deposit that is equal to no more than 2 months' rent'; 'Last month's rent'; 'Utility deposits'; 'up to 24 months of utility payments per program participant, per service'; 'Moving costs'; 'Housing search and placement'; 'Housing stability case management'; 'Mediation'; 'Legal services'; 'Credit repair' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.106), short-term rental assistance is up to 3 months and medium-term is more than 3 and no more than 24 months; up to 24 months of rental assistance can be given in any 3-year period; the rent may not exceed HUD's Fair Market Rent and must meet HUD's rent reasonableness standard; and the participant must have a legally binding written lease, except when assistance covers only rental arrears.

   Sources 7 · 24 CFR 576.106(a), (d)(1), (g): 'assistance for up to 3 months of rent'; 'assistance for more than 3 months but not more than 24 months of rent'; 'up to 24 months of rental assistance during any 3-year period'; 'the rent does not exceed the Fair Market Rent established by HUD'; 'HUD's standard of rent reasonableness'; 'must have a legally binding, written lease for the rental unit' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. Under the Continuum of Care rule (24 CFR 578.37), CoC funds may be used for five components: permanent housing (including permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing), transitional housing, supportive services only, HMIS and, in some cases, homelessness prevention; rapid rehousing may include short-term (up to 3 months) or medium-term (3 to 24 months) rental assistance; and participants must meet with a case manager at least once a month, unless the Violence Against Women Act or the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act bars making housing conditional on accepting services.

   Sources 8 · 24 CFR 578.37(a): 'when used to establish and operate projects under five program components'; 'permanent housing; transitional housing; supportive services only; HMIS; and, in some cases, homelessness prevention'; 'short-term (up to 3 months) and/or medium-term (for 3 to 24 months) tenant-based rental assistance'; 'meet with a case manager not less than once per month' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. Under the Continuum of Care rule (24 CFR 578.7(a)(8)), each Continuum of Care must establish and operate a centralized or coordinated assessment system that gives an initial, comprehensive assessment of the housing and service needs of individuals and families.

    Sources 9 · 24 CFR 578.7(a)(8): 'establish and operate either a centralized or coordinated assessment system'; 'provide an initial, comprehensive assessment of the needs of individuals and families for housing and services' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. Under the ESG rule (24 CFR 576.400(d)), once the Continuum of Care sets up that centralized or coordinated assessment system, each ESG-funded program or project in its area must use it; but a victim service provider may choose not to use it.

    Sources 10 · 24 CFR 576.400(d): 'each ESG-funded program or project within the Continuum of Care's area must use that assessment system'; 'A victim service provider may choose not to use the Continuum of Care's centralized or coordinated assessment system' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. According to HUD, its Find Shelter tool gives information about housing, shelter, health care and clothing resources in communities across the country: you pick a category (shelter, food pantries, health clinics or clothing), enter your location and search; and it also lets you search for a Continuum of Care provider in your community.

    Sources 11 · Find Shelter: 'provides information about housing, shelter, health care, and clothing resources in communities across the country'; 'Click on one of the categories above, enter your location, and click Search to get started'; 'Search for a Continuum of Care resource provider to get started' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. According to 211, the service connects you to expert help and every call is completely confidential; it gives referrals for help with housing, homelessness and utility bills; you reach it by dialing 211, and the site is in English and Spanish.

    Sources 12 · 211.org: '211 connects you to expert, caring help. Every call is completely confidential'; 'Referrals for assistance with housing, homelessness, and utility bills'; 'Call 211'; 'English'; 'Espanol' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. In a Federal Register notice (90 FR 54363), HUD explained that under the welfare reform law (PRWORA, 8 U.S.C. 1611(a)), aliens who are not 'qualified aliens' are not eligible for any 'Federal public benefit', with exceptions that include short-term in-kind emergency relief and services such as short-term shelter specified by the Attorney General that are necessary to protect life or safety; HUD said it considers ESG and the Continuum of Care to award grants covered by that definition and therefore subject to PRWORA's eligibility and verification rules; that nonprofit charitable organizations are not required to verify eligibility under 8 U.S.C. 1642(d); and that it would issue new guidance on verification.

    Sources 13 · Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA); Interpretation of 'Federal Public Benefit', 90 FR 54363 (November 26, 2025): 'aliens who are not "qualified aliens" are not eligible for any "Federal public benefit"'; '(B) Short-term, non-cash, in-kind emergency disaster relief'; '(such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and intervention, and short-term shelter)'; 'are necessary for the protection of life or safety'; 'particularly the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) and Continuum of Care (CoC) programs'; 'these grant programs are subject to the eligibility and verification provisions under PRWORA'; 'nonprofit charitable organizations that administer "Federal public benefits" are not required to conduct eligibility verification under 8 U.S.C. 1642(d)'; 'HUD will issue subsequent guidance on verification actions' · Checked October 31, 2026

15. A federal district court in Rhode Island, in State of New York v. U.S. Department of Justice (1:25-cv-00345), declared several agencies' PRWORA notices unlawful, including HUD's, for violating the Administrative Procedure Act, ordered them set aside and vacated, and barred the agencies from enforcing them against the plaintiff states by any other means; the order states that it does not stop HUD from adopting new PRWORA rules after a notice-and-comment period.

    Sources 14 · State of New York v. U.S. Department of Justice, C.A. No. 1:25-cv-00345-MSM-PAS (D.R.I.), Memorandum and Order (ECF No. 114, September 21, 2026), p. 25: 'The PRWORA Notices are declared unlawful under the APA and are ordered set aside and vacated'; 'Defendants are enjoined from implementing or enforcing the PRWORA Notices or the interpretations contained therein against Plaintiffs by any other means'; 'this injunction does not prohibit HHS, ED, DOL, HUD, and their respective heads from promulgating new rules related to PRWORA after a period of notice-and-comment rulemaking' · Checked October 31, 2026

16. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has a finder: you enter an address or a city and it shows an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you.

    Sources 15 · I Need Legal Help: 'enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you' · Checked October 31, 2026

17. According to EOIR, only certain people can represent you in immigration matters, including licensed attorneys and accredited representatives; and notarios, document preparers, immigration consultants and travel agents are not allowed to practice law or give you legal advice.

    Sources 16 · Can Someone Represent You at EOIR?: 'Those include validly licensed attorneys and accredited representatives'; 'Notarios, document preparers, immigration consultants, and travel agents are not allowed to practice law'; 'cannot give you legal advice' · Checked October 31, 2026