How to find a safe rental apartment

A new guide for renters on how to get into a safe, supportive rental apartment has been published by a nonprofit advocacy group.
The American Community Housing Association says it hopes the guide will help make the process of finding a place easier for those who have experienced homelessness or been in foster care.
The organization’s executive director, Sara Brown, says the information is designed to provide renters with information about how to choose an apartment and what to expect if they’re found.
“A safe, caring, supportive place is what’s needed to help a person get on their feet,” she said.
“It’s not a quick fix, but it can help get someone out of the emergency shelter system and back to their lives.”
She added that the guide comes from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and provides useful tips and tips on finding a safe apartment.
The nonprofit says it’s working with landlords, landlords’ associations, housing providers and other agencies to distribute the free guide.
The National Alliance has been working with the National Association of Realtors, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration to distribute this guide.
Brown says the guide is being developed by the American Housing Association, a nonprofit that promotes and provides services to renters, including finding homes for low-income families.
Brown said that the group has received about 20,000 applications for apartments through its program.
The association is asking renters to sign up for its online rental assistance program.
“We’re looking for people who have been in crisis, people who are in a long-term housing situation, people in transitional housing,” she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
The guide will be distributed to tenants in shelters and transitional housing facilities.
Brown also said the nonprofit is offering help with moving costs to renters and to rent assistance programs.
She said a portion of the proceeds from the guide would be donated to charities supporting low- and moderate-income households.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is funding the guide.
AP’s John Binder and Karen Egan contributed to this report.