🏠 Rent, eviction, or shelter
¿No habla inglés? Llame al 211 — intérpretes gratis en su idioma. Free interpreters in your language (Kiswahili, မြန်မာ, دری, العربية, Tiếng Việt, Soomaali, Kreyòl, नेपाली…) — call 211.
Which side of the state line do you live on?
1. "I can't pay this month's rent"
- Tell your landlord before the due date if you can. Ask for a payment plan in writing. Many will work with you.
- Call 211 and ask for rent assistance in your county. Funds change month to month — they know who has money today.
- Apply the moment funds open. The programs below run out fast. Timing matters more than anything.
⏰ Timing rule most people don't know: the eligibility form is only open one hour a month: 9:00–10:00 AM on the 15th (next business day if the 15th is a weekend or holiday). It shuts off at 10:00 sharp, and only the first 30 eligible households are invited to complete a full application. Set an alarm. Assistance is once every 12 months.
Funding note: currently no funds for Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Grandview, Raytown, Grain Valley, or Pleasant Hill — if that's you, call 211 instead.
mlmkc.org → rent & utility assistance
Checked online · August 2, 2026Rent and utility help, plus landlord mediation.
Checked online · July 14, 2026Up to $5,000 for up to 6 months of back rent, for Johnson County renters.
Checked online · July 14, 2026Rent help in KCK flows through nonprofits. Start with 211 to find which has funds this month, or eofkck.org / cross-lines.org.
Checked online · July 14, 20262. "I got an eviction notice or court papers"
If you don't show up, the court can rule against you by default — even if you had a good case. Showing up protects your right to respond, ask about options, and be heard.
- Read the papers and find the court date. Put it everywhere — phone, fridge, a friend's phone.
- Get a free lawyer — today, not the day before court. Use the number for your state below.
- Keep your rent money set aside and save proof of every payment and message with your landlord. Ask your lawyer how a partial payment could affect your case before you make one.
If you live in Kansas City, Missouri and your landlord is suing you to evict you, you have a right to a free lawyer. This program is also called Right to Counsel — same program, same intake, so you only need to apply once.
Applying online is fastest. The phone number below is the United Way 211 intake operator, not a law office — say you are being sued for eviction and asking for Right to Counsel. A lawyer is assigned after intake.
Bring the case number from your court papers (it looks like 2116-CV12345) if you have it. No case number yet? Call anyway.
Checked online · September 21, 2026Free legal help with evictions across western Missouri. Eligibility depends on household income, assets, and the type of legal problem; ask whether they can take your case. They will never ask you for money — anyone who does is a scam.
816-474-6750 · lawmo.org → get legal help
Checked online · September 11, 2026Free legal help statewide, with clear eviction guides — including what each notice means and what happens in court. Apply online or call statewide intake.
Phone intake: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Online applications: Monday 8 a.m. through Thursday 4:30 p.m.; not available Friday through Sunday. KLS intake options.
316-267-3975 · kansaslegalservices.org → evictions
Checked online · September 11, 20263. "I need a safe place to sleep tonight"
- Call 211 now. Say "shelter tonight." They check live availability and connect you to the metro's shelter intake — that's the front door to nearly every bed in KC. (How that intake actually works — what they'll ask and what to expect.)
- During the day, the KC Public Library's 3North desk at the Central Library has real humans who help with exactly this: 816-701-3767.
- If you're in danger at home, call or text 988, or the National DV Hotline: 1-800-799-7233.