Get approved for a place and get help paying rent

There are five programs here, and they do different jobs. Some get you approved for a place, some help you pay rent, and one builds your credit so you qualify more easily next time. A few you can start on your own. A couple only work when a case manager starts them with you.

If you can, get a WERQ navigator in your corner first. We can set up your Housing Connector account, start a OneApp Greenlight request with your property, and help you gather the paperwork HRSN needs.

• Start your intake: book a time with a WERQ navigator at werq.janeapp.com and we will take it from there.
• Read the common questions: each program below ends with answers to the questions people ask us most.

Common questions

Are these programs free rent? No. Housing Connector and OneApp Greenlight are backup support. They help a landlord say yes and give you a safety net if something goes wrong. They work best when you have income and want support just in case.

What does working with a WERQ navigator look like? We look at your situation together, help you get ready to rent, tour and apply with you when that helps, and talk to landlords on your behalf. Once you are housed through one of these programs, we keep checking in.

None of these is instant. The honest version of each is below, so you know what you are signing up for.

Rent Well is a 15-hour tenant education course on your rights, how landlords screen, budgeting, and avoiding eviction. You can start it yourself.

Here is why it matters: finishing it can unlock Oregon's Rent Guarantee, which pays a landlord for certain losses in your first year. That guarantee is what turns a maybe into a yes, because it lowers the landlord's risk.

• Pick a format and start: the self-paced eCourse, or in-person and Zoom classes through Transition Projects.
• Hold onto your certificate. That is the piece a landlord wants to see.

Common questions

Does it cost anything? The eCourse is free for up to 5,000 low-income Oregonians each year.

I have not moved to Oregon yet. Can I take it? Rent Well denies applications from outside Oregon by default. If you are planning to move here, email support@rentwell.org to appeal. Finishing before you arrive means you can show up with a certificate in hand.

What does the guarantee pay for? If your landlord registers it, the state can pay them up to $5,000 for losses in your first 12 months: unpaid rent (up to $2,000 of that), damage beyond normal wear and tear, and eviction costs.

Who qualifies for the guarantee? You need to finish the course, live in Oregon, and have household income at or below 60% of the area median income. You have 18 months after the course to find a place, and the landlord has to register within 30 days of your lease starting. Funding is first come, first served.

Do I have to take Rent Well to work with WERQ? No. We recommend it, but it is not required.

Questions: rentwell@tprojects.org or 503-515-1328.

Housing Connector is a nonprofit that connects case managers to open units and clears the screening barriers that usually get you denied. Its partner properties agree to looser screening, and Housing Connector backs the property if something goes wrong, so doors open that otherwise would not.

Here, it is only available in Multnomah County, and you reach it through a partner agency like WERQ.

• Get set up: create your own account and pick Eli as your case manager during signup, or have your WERQ navigator invite you into the renter hub. Either way, loop us in so the case-manager link is set.
• See how it works: housingconnector.com/how-we-work.
• Browse available units: housingconnector.com/lookup.

Common questions

Will they accept me with bad credit or an eviction? Often, yes. Housing Connector's standard reduced screening asks partner properties to accept any credit score, past housing debt under $3,000, up to 2 evictions in the past 3 years, and no proof of rental history. Criminal history is reviewed case by case. Each property still makes the final call.

Do I still need income? Yes. Properties still look for verifiable income of about 2 times the rent. Housing Connector does not solve income, so if that is your barrier, start with find a job in Portland and talk with your navigator.

How do I get rent help through Housing Connector? It is not automatic, and it is not free rent. It is emergency backup for when something goes wrong.

• Stay connected with WERQ. We check in with you at least every 3 months, and right away if anything comes up.
• Tell us early if rent gets tight. Together, we write a financial stability plan: what happened, what you are doing about it, and how you will stay on track.
• Housing Connector reviews the plan and has to approve it before any money goes out.
• The help covers up to 3 months of rent, and it is not available during your first 90 days in the unit.

What does WERQ do after I move in? We stay with you for at least a year. We check in, help you plan around bumps, and talk to your landlord alongside Housing Connector if an issue comes up.

I already moved in. Can I still get it? Maybe, if you moved in within the last 60 days. Housing Connector can now add buildings that are not on its site, if your landlord agrees to join. We reach out to your landlord and handle that conversation. Bring your move-in date and your landlord or property manager's contact info.

What does my landlord get out of it? One point of contact for support and conflict mediation, and the property can claim up to $5,000 in Damage Mitigation Funds. That backup is a big part of why landlords say yes.

Housing Connector reports that about 88 out of 100 of its residents stay housed in the same unit for at least a year.

OneApp Greenlight helps a nervous property say yes when your application gets extra scrutiny. OneApp works with the property manager so they can approve you without changing their standards, and it backs the lease if something goes wrong. There are two doors, and the cost is not the same:

• Greenlight is free when you work with WERQ. WERQ is a Greenlight partner. Your navigator starts it with the property, so we need to know which property you are applying to. This is the one to use if you are working with us.
• Approval Assist you can start yourself, but it normally costs one month's rent. It is a second-chance approval service for renters: oneapp.rentals/approval-assist.

Common questions

How do I start Greenlight? You cannot sign up for it on your own. Apply to the place you want first. If the property hesitates or says your application needs more review, tell your WERQ navigator. We contact the property and ask to use Greenlight. If the property is not already a OneApp partner, OneApp can sign them up for free.

What does it cost me? Nothing. OneApp waives its usual fee (one month's base rent) for renters working with a nonprofit partner like WERQ, and it does not ask you to pay it back.

Does Greenlight pay my rent? No. It is a promise to the property, not money to you. If the lease goes wrong, OneApp reimburses the property up to 3 times the base rent for covered losses like unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and eviction legal fees. That promise is what gets the property to yes. You still pay your rent every month.

I have a housing voucher. Does it help? Maybe less. For voucher holders, coverage is based only on your share of the rent. If your voucher pays all of your rent, there is nothing for it to cover, so ask your navigator about other options.

Housing Connector or Greenlight: which one? They reach different landlords. Housing Connector properties lower their screening bar. Greenlight leaves the property's rules alone and backs the approval instead. You do not have to pick just one.

OneApp improves your odds but does not guarantee a yes. The property still makes the call, and there is no set timeline.

If you have the Oregon Health Plan, you may be able to get up to 6 months of rent, including past-due rent, plus utilities and move-in costs, through a benefit called HRSN. It is tied to a qualifying health risk.

If you are a Health Share of Oregon member (the OHP plan for the Portland tri-county area), apply through Unite Us. Other CCOs have their own forms.

• Gather your documents first: your OHP ID, your lease, and two months of income proof. The paperwork is heavy, and missing pieces slow it down.
• Questions: 1-888-834-4304 or ORHRSN@acentra.com.

Common questions

Who qualifies? You need OHP, very low income or a real risk of losing your housing, and a qualifying health risk. The list of health risks that count for rent help got narrower on January 1, 2026. It now focuses on things like a recent hospital stay or surgery, pregnancy or a recent birth, being 65 or older, or domestic violence in the past year. Ask your plan or your navigator before you rule yourself in or out.

How much can I get? Up to 6 months of rent and utilities, one time per household. You may also qualify for tenancy support, which is help understanding your lease and talking with your landlord, for 6 to 18 months.

How long does it take? Your plan is supposed to decide within 14 days, or up to 28 with an extension. In the Portland area, demand has outrun the providers who process requests, so getting paid can take longer. The state says these benefits are not meant for emergencies.

Is it going away? The current program runs through September 30, 2027, and it may change after that. If you qualify, do not wait.

It is a one-time benefit and it is not fast. It is not the move to make when rent is due this week. For that, see the next step.

HRSN is slow, so if you are about to lose your housing, start somewhere faster today.

• Facing an eviction or behind on rent: work the facing eviction or struggling to pay rent journey. It covers emergency rent assistance and your rights.
• Need cash this week: see you need cash this week.
• Got a court notice: Oregon Law Center runs the Eviction Defense Project, and the help is free.
• Not sure where to start: call 211, any time, for local rent and utility assistance.

Applying for HRSN and getting emergency help are not either or. Do both.

Esusu reports your on-time rent to the three credit bureaus, which builds credit that helps you qualify next time. It only reports on-time payments, never late ones.

Whether rent reporting is automatic depends on your building. Many affordable and supportive housing developments are already enrolled, and you can download the Esusu app to manage your credit and set up split pay.

• Check Rent Relief: if your building is enrolled, Esusu runs a rent relief fund for residents who owe under $5,000 and are not more than 3 months behind. Details at esusurent.com/rent-relief.

Common questions

Does it cost anything? It is free if your building partners with Esusu. If it does not, you can still sign up, but Esusu charges $59 a year for that membership.

What if I pay late one month? Esusu never reports late or missed payments. That month just does not get reported.

Can it count rent I have already paid? Sometimes. If the records are available, Esusu can add up to 24 months of past on-time payments on your current lease, at no extra cost.

Reporting on-time rent can lift a thin credit file. Esusu's reported average is about a 53-point increase.