Help lines

211 connects you to help near you by phone. Dial 211 from any phone. Someone answers 24 hours a day, every day. The call is confidential, and you can stay anonymous. Ask about rent help, utility (such as water, electric, and gas) bill help, and shelter. More than 200 local 211 agencies cover the United States.

Protect your health during extreme heat. Fans help only when the indoor temperature is under 90°F: above that, a fan can raise your body temperature. If you have no cooling at home, spend the hottest hours somewhere with air conditioning. Dial 2-1-1 to find a cooling center (a public air-conditioned place).

You can call 2-1-1 any time, day or night, in any of Alabama's 67 counties. The call is free and private, and helps with housing, rent, and utilities (water, electric, gas). The line answers in over 150 languages. You can also text your zip code to 898-211 to reach a specialist.

The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Self-Help Center helps people who represent themselves in landlord-tenant cases and small claims. Call 505-841-9817. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dial 211 for free referrals to local services. The 211 helpline can refer you to resources for food, clothing, shelter and rent assistance. You can also call (505) 245-1735, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

AZCourtHelp.org is Arizona's court self-help website. It offers a self-help center, a form finder, a tool to find your court, legal aid options, and an eviction portal.

211 Arizona connects you to local help by phone. Dial 2-1-1 within Arizona, or 877-211-8661 from anywhere. It is answered from 9 am to 7 pm, 7 days a week, in English and Spanish. Arizona Relay users can dial 7-1-1 or 800-367-8939 and ask for 877-211-8661.

211 Arizona runs a Housing Crisis Hotline. It helps people and families who are homeless or may soon become homeless. Call specialists connect you to help near you. Reach it by dialing 2-1-1.

Mass 211. This free statewide helpline is a program of the United Way. It connects you to programs that pay rent, utility (such as water, electric, and gas) bills, and other housing costs. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial 211 or call 877-211-6277.

211 California is a free, confidential phone and web service for non-legal help. It refers you to help with rent, emergency shelter, food, and utilities (water, electric, gas) in your area. It serves people of all income levels and languages. Dial 211, text your zip code to 898211, or search at www.211ca.org.

Local rent help changes by county. Call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to find rent payment programs near you. 211 does not pay rent itself; it refers you to local programs.

Every judicial district in Colorado has a Self-Help or Court Resource Center. Staff there, called Sherlocks, help people with non-criminal court matters and point them to the right forms. They cannot give legal advice. The website also lists self-help forms and guides for housing cases. Connect with a Sherlock in your county through the Colorado Judicial Branch website.

211 Colorado connects people across the state to help with housing, rent payments, and other needs. It offers help in many languages and covers all 64 counties. Dial 211 or call 866-760-6489 toll free. You can also text your zip code to 898-211. Standard message and data rates may apply for texting.

Connecticut's Court Service Centers help self-represented parties, meaning anyone in a court case without a lawyer. They are inside Judicial District Courthouses and open in most locations on weekdays from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, except legal holidays. Email Court.ServiceCenter@jud.ct.gov with questions.

Dial 2-1-1 anywhere in Connecticut for free, private help finding human services near you. From outside Connecticut, dial 1-800-203-1234 instead. The line runs 24 hours a day and in many languages. 211 also lists open Section 8 housing waiting lists. 211 is a program of United Way of Connecticut, supported by the state and local United Ways.

If your landlord will not return your security deposit, you can file a complaint with the Connecticut Department of Banking. Call 860-240-8170, or toll free 1-800-831-7225, or use its online Consumer Assistance Form. The department looks into rental security deposit complaints and can send your landlord's case to the Attorney General's Office.

The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service can match you with a lawyer anywhere in Florida. In some major cities a local bar group runs the referral service. Everywhere else, the Florida Bar itself handles referrals. Call 800-342-8011, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can get a 30-minute consultation with the lawyer for no more than $25.

Florida 211 is a free, confidential helpline open 24 hours a day. It connects you with expert help, including for housing and utility (water, electric, gas) bills. Call 211 or visit 211.org to find your local center.

The Office of Consumer Protection runs the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Information Center. It is a free service that gives information on Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code. Call 1-844-808-DCCA (3222), Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.

Aloha United Way 211 is a help line for all of Hawaii. Call to find shelter, money help, and more. The service is free and confidential. Call 211, 808-275-2000, or 1-877-275-6569.

The Idaho Court Assistance Office and Self-Help Center lists court forms by subject. The subjects include Housing and Small Claims. The site says it gives legal information only, not legal advice.

The 211 Idaho CareLine is a free, statewide service that connects you with local groups that can help with food, housing, mental health, and more. Dial 211 or 800-926-2588, or text 898211. Staff answer Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. MST.

Idaho Housing and Finance Association has a page for people who are homeless, in crisis, or at risk. It points to emergency housing resources near you. Find it under Renters on idahohousing.com.

The Idaho Attorney General publishes a Landlord and Tenant Manual in English and Spanish. It is a manual to help landlords and tenants better understand their rights and responsibilities. Find it on ag.idaho.gov under Consumer Manuals.

211 Illinois is a free, confidential helpline open 24 hours a day. It refers you to local help with housing, shelter, utility (water, electric, gas) bills, food, and health care. Call 211 from any phone, or text your zip code to 898211.

In Illinois, you can call 211 at any time, day or night. 211 can connect you to rent and utility (water, electric, gas) help near you.

211 Iowa is a free information and referral service that connects Iowans to help with food, shelter, utilities (water, electric, gas), and more. Call 2-1-1, or use the toll-free number 800-244-7431. You can also text your zip code to 898211, or use live chat from 7 am to 10 pm, every day.

211 is a phone line that connects Kansans to local help, including rent and housing help. Call 2-1-1, or 1-888-413-4327 from out of state, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. United Way of the Plains in Wichita runs this service.

Kentucky's court system offers a legal self-help section on its website for people who cannot afford a lawyer. It points you to Kentucky's civil legal aid programs and to self-help forms and guides at kyjustice.org. The self-help resources cover eviction, foreclosure (a bank taking a home because the owner missed payments), divorce, child support, and other civil legal matters.

Kentucky 211 connects you with local help for housing, food, and other needs. It is run by United Way, and representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial 211, or text your zip code to 898211.

Nevada 211 can connect you with services, including housing. Its housing help includes eviction and foreclosure assistance and housing expense assistance. Call 211 or 1-866-535-5654, or text your zip code to 898211. The call center is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific time, and closed on weekends.

Dial 2-1-1, or 800-339-6993. 211 LA answers 24 hours a day, every day, in many languages. They have TTY access for deaf and hard of hearing callers.

The Law Library of Louisiana helps people who are representing themselves in court, without a lawyer, find legal information, resources, and referrals. Staff cannot give legal advice, but can point you to the right resource for your case. Call 504-310-2400, or toll free in Louisiana at 800-820-3038. It is open to the public Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.

Louisiana 211 connects you by phone to information about health and human services available in your community. It covers all 64 parishes in the state. Dial 211, or text your zip code to 898-211.

Dial 211 to reach 211 Maryland, a free and confidential help line for the whole state. It can connect you to local help with rent payments, stopping an eviction, or finding shelter. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.

Mass 211. This free helpline is available 24/7. It can help find options to pay your rent, bills for utilities (such as water, electric, and gas), or other housing costs. Dial 211 or call 877-211-6277.

Michigan 211 connects you with help for housing, utilities (water, electric, gas), food, and other needs anywhere in Michigan. Call 211 or 844-875-9211, or text your zip code to 898211. It is free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Last year, it helped over 500,000 people find help.

Minnesota's Statewide Self-Help Center gives legal information to people representing themselves in court. It has a page about landlord and tenant issues, since these rules come from many different laws and past court decisions. Call (651) 435-6535, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on holidays.

Nebraska 211 has resources in food, shelter, and assistance with utilities (water, electric, gas), and much more. You can call 2-1-1 or toll-free 866-813-1731. You can also text your ZIP to 898211. Live chat is open 7 am - 10 pm, 7 days a week.

Nevada 211 connects you with housing help across Nevada, including eviction and foreclosure (losing a home to the bank) help. Call 211 or 1-866-535-5654, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. You can also text your zip code to 898211.

211 NH connects you to help with housing, among other needs. You can contact 211 NH by phone, email, or text, 24 hours a day.

The New Hampshire Judicial Branch Self-Help site gives basic, practical information about the court system and how to bring a case to court. Court staff can give you legal information. They cannot give you legal advice.

The Trial Court Information Center and the court Clerk's office will help you. Call the Information Center at 1-855-212-1234. Court staff do not take sides. They give the same information to both sides of a case.

211 NH is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Dial 211 to talk to someone now. You can contact it by phone, email, or text for help with housing, food, mental health, health care and more.

New Hampshire Housing runs the Housing Choice Voucher program for very low-income households. A qualified household pays part of its income toward rent. New Hampshire Housing pays the rest to the landlord. Its page estimates a wait of 7-9 years from the date of application. Email rentinfo@nhhousing.org.

NJ 211 connects New Jersey residents with community services, including help with housing and food. It is reachable by phone, chat, text, or the web, 24 hours a day.

New Mexico Courts offers help for people representing themselves in a case, including a phone HelpLine. Call 855-268-7804.

211 New York connects you to local help with food, housing, utilities (water, electric, gas), and more. It is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day in many languages. Anyone in New York State can use it. Dial 211, or text your zip code to 898-211.

CourtHelp from the New York State courts can help you when you do not have a lawyer. Website: nycourts.gov/courthelp. The courts also run Court Help Centers. Help Center staff do not give legal advice and cannot represent you. Find your county's Help Center on the Court Help Centers page.

Before court, you can also call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline. NYC renters get free legal advice there.

Where to get help: call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline. NYC renters get free legal advice there about entry, being locked out, and harassment (unwanted, hostile treatment).

Where to get help: call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline. NYC renters get free legal advice there about repairs and housing court.

The North Carolina Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Division takes complaints about landlord and tenant issues. Call toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM to reach them for help.

NC 211 is an information and referral service that connects North Carolinians with health and human services in their community. Dial 2-1-1, or call 1-888-892-1162, for free and confidential information.

Ohio 211 connects renters by phone to local housing and utility (water, electric, gas) assistance, and other help across Ohio. Call 211 or 888-OHIO-211.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission enforces Ohio's laws against discrimination and takes charges from people who believe they were treated unfairly. File a charge online or call 1-888-278-7101.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) makes a once a year payment directly to your heating or cooling utility (such as electric or gas) bill. The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) helps people who qualify manage energy bills year round. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services runs these programs. To apply, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or contact your local energy assistance provider. You can also call the department at 614-466-6282.

211 is a free 24-hour helpline that connects Oklahomans in all 77 counties to local help in their area. Heartline runs it for western Oklahoma and the Tulsa Area United Way runs it for eastern Oklahoma. Call, use live chat, or send a text message to reach a resource specialist.

The Oregon State Bar Legal Referral Service helps you find a lawyer to hire. Call (503) 684-3763 or (800) 452-7636, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. The service does not offer free help and does not accept walk-ins. Use its online form to make a request.

211info connects Oregonians to local help with housing, shelter, and utilities (water, electric, gas). Dial 211 or call 866-698-6155. Interpreters are available in other languages.

PA 211 is a free and confidential help line for finding services near you. Call 211, or text your ZIP code to 898-211, at any hour on any day. A resource specialist (a person trained to find local programs) will connect you to help.

Philadelphia's Eviction Diversion Program has a Tenant Hotline. Call 215-523-9501, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call if you have not heard from the program.

PA 211 Southwest connects you to local help by phone. Dial 211, or text your zip code to 898-211, to speak with a resource specialist today.

Washington 211. Washington 211 is a free, confidential helpline for the whole state. It connects you to rent assistance, housing, utility (such as water, electric, and gas) help, food, and other services. Dial 211 to talk with a real person. You can also call 1-877-211-9274 toll free. Staff serve callers in many languages.

For more help, call 2-1-1. Renters age 60 and over can call 888-387-7111.

211 South Carolina is a free service that connects you to help. This includes help with housing and a place to stay. Calls are private. Dial 211 or 866-892-9211.

2-1-1 Texas is the state's free information line, run by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Call to find local help with rent, utilities (electric, gas, and water), food, shelter, and health services near you. Anyone can call. Dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905, or chat online in English or Spanish at 211texas.org.

211 Utah is a service of the United Ways of Utah. It is free, confidential, and available in multiple languages. From a mobile device, please dial 211 or 888-826-9790. The Utah Courts eviction page says Utah 2-1-1 has a list of programs that could help you with rent.

211 Virginia is a free, private phone line that connects you to local help across Virginia. Call 211, or text CONNECT to 247211. You can also start a live chat at 211virginia.org.

Washington 211 is a free, confidential helpline that speaks many languages. It is a statewide helpline with a directory of 17,000 local resources. Call 211 to find local help with rent, utilities (water, electric, gas), food and housing. If you are outside Washington or cannot dial 211, call 1-877-211-9274. The Attorney General's Office lists landlord-tenant complaints as ones it does not handle. It says to call 211.

211 is a free, confidential helpline that connects you to local help across Washington, including help paying rent. Call 211 and describe your situation. If you cannot reach 211, call 1-877-211-9274 instead. Staff will refer you to agencies that serve your area.

211 Wisconsin is a free, private phone line that connects callers with local housing help and other services. Dial 211 to reach a trained specialist, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in Wisconsin.