Plus, contribute to the Housing Directory with your feedback and suggestions.
Securing affordable housing — either to rent or to buy — often involves many steps and eligibility considerations. One important requirement and eligibility factor that plays a major role in the housing market is a person’s individual credit score.
This new resource is a beginner’s guide to understanding how an individual’s credit score affects applying for, obtaining, and maintaining stable housing. It then explores best practices to establish and continue building good credit.
The guide is designed to assist those who may not have existing credit and/or a credit history, such as but not limited to, immigrants, refugees and other newcomers. The guide could also be applicable to recent high school graduates and/or college students who may qualify as ORR-eligible populations.
The term "ORR-eligible populations" refers to individuals who are eligible to receive services and benefits administered by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Eligibility is determined by Congress, and exact benefits may vary by eligibility category. For a current list of eligible populations, please visit ORR's website.
Adding Community Submissions and Trusted Housing Partners to the Directory
In addition to ongoing research to prioritize expansion and improvement of the Housing Directory in locations across the United States, RHS is also fielding submissions from community members for new Directory resources and suggested edits to keep resources as up-to-date and relevant as possible. Use this form to send us resource and service provider information!
Don’t have a specific resource in mind but want to suggest a location for expanding the Directory? Let us know using this feedback form.
Trusted Housing Partners, housing providers vetted by the RHS team, are also being added to the Housing Directory in select states under the “Housing Providers” service category filter. To learn more about how you or someone you know can become a Trusted Housing Partner, please get in touch with our team.
Featured Resources
This report shares the results of the second of two annual needs assessments conducted by RHS in FY 2025 and targets housing stakeholders and organizations serving ORR-eligible populations to analyze housing trends and challenges.
RHS is continually identifying key refugee- and newcomer-facing resources to be translated into additional language versions. Use our Resource Library to find helpful housing resources in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Dari, Pashto, and more.
Get Involved
INCREASING ACCESS TO DIGNIFIED AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR REFUGEES AND ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
RHS endeavors to close gaps in housing challenges through effective and efficient housing support initiatives which strengthen communities’ housing stability and ultimately foster successful integration and prosperity, creating a more connected and thriving nation for all.
Online Housing Courses
Find free learning and certification opportunities in one place on our Learn page, featuring courses on HUD and Newcomer Host Home programs. All courses on this page are 100% online and free of charge.
Become a Trusted Housing Partner
The Trusted Housing Partners pilot program connects housing providers in communities across the U.S. by both educating and equipping them for renting to ORR-eligible populations, and it also provides a platform to host their housing information and availability on the Housing Hub and Directory. To get started, schedule a quick call with our team below.
Looking Ahead
RHS is expanding its partnerships with United Way 211 to increase access to and visibility of key local resources via the Housing Directory. Let us know how we can work with 211 in your state!
Read a recap of a Landlord Feedback Session with RHS
New resources coming soon
