LANDLORD/TENANT

Most of the time, the landlord-tenant relationship is covered by a lease or rental agreement.  This document should include all the details about the rental: property address, amount of rent and when it is due, who can stay and what each party’s responsibilities are (such as repairs and utilities).  Landlords will probably require tenants to be at least 18 years old and prove they can make payments.  Leases often last for a year at a time, but they cover any amount of time.  Unless the lease says otherwise, the agreement will be on a month-to-month or week-to-week basis, depending on when the rent is paid.  This means that the agreement will only last for a month (or a week) and then either party to end it.  If you stay past the end of the lease and the landlord keeps taking your payments, the lease is renewed, but only on a month-to-month (or week-to-week) basis.  A lease does not have to be written, but it is best that it is in order to avoid misunderstandings or confusion.  It is very important that you read and understand the lease. 

Landlords are required to make sure the building meets the housing codes and to maintain the plumbing, heating and cooling systems.  Landlords are also required to maintain the property in basically the same condition it was at the beginning of the lease, except that the landlord is required to make any repairs for damage he or she caused.  This is one reason it is important to review the property when the lease is signed so the landlord and tenant agree on the condition of the property at the time.  As a tenant, you are required to keep the property clean and safe, use it responsibly and dispose of garbage; you are also responsible for any damage done by your guests.

If a landlord is not making necessary repairs, ask them to do so in writing.  If the landlord does not make repairs within 30 days, then you can pay for the repairs and ask the landlord for reimbursement.  You cannot refuse to pay rent until the repair is made but can deduct the amount paid for the repair from the rent.

Leases usually require a security deposit, which the tenant pays when the lease is signed and the landlord keeps in case the property is not clean and in order at the end of the lease.  (Again, it is important to review the property with the landlord when the lease is signed.)  When you move out, make any repairs of damage that you caused (or expect the cost to be taken out of the deposit) and clean as required by the lease.  If the landlord does not return the deposit when you move you, you should ask in writing that it be returned (and include where you want it sent).  The landlord has 45 days to return the deposit (minus the costs of cleaning and repairs).

You are responsible for the entire term of the lease, even if you move out before the lease ends.  So if you move out with a few months left on your lease, you are still responsible for paying the rent for those months, unless the landlord agrees to let you out of it.

Unless there is an agreement that says otherwise, each tenant is responsible for the entire rent.  That means that if your roommate moves out, the landlord can require you to pay the entire rent.

A landlord is required to give you three days’ notice in writing before the landlord can evict for not paying rent unless the lease requires more time.  If the tenant does not pay within three days, the landlord can take you to court and ask a judge to evict you.  In order for the landlord to have a judge evict you for not paying rent, the landlord will have to serve you with a summons that states when and where there will be a court hearing.  Then you will have an opportunity to present your case to a judge.  A landlord can evict you for not paying rent without going to court if the lease allows it and it can be done with a “breach of the peace,” which basically that the landlord has to be able to remove you from the property peacefully.

Shelters:

Gateway Rescue Mission
https://gatewaymission.org/

Gateway Rescue Mission exists to offer life changing hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to homeless men, women, and children through programs to deliver food, shelter, counseling and discipleship.

328 South Gallatin Street
Jackson, MS 39203
Phone: (601) 353-5864

Stewpot Community Services
http://stewpot.org/

Stewpot Community Services provides thousands of men, women and children with hot meals, groceries, clothing, shelter, childcare, mentoring and other programs to nurture them and help them get back on their feet. We believe the sacred is encountered in the common events in like, like sharing a meal.

1100 W. Capitol St.
Jackson, MS 39203
Phone: (601) 353-2759

God’s Haven
http://www.gods-haven.com/

Our mission is to proclaim and demonstrate the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ by meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of men, women, and children who are homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless.

Southside Baptist Church
800 Raymond Rd.
Jackson, MS 39204
Phone: (601) 954-1136

Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmy.org/
http://salvationarmyalm.org/jackson/

The Salvation Army is an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. 

The Salvation Army of Greater Jackson is committed to breaking the cycle of entitlement that has crippled and destroyed generations of families in Mississippi. We will offer a hand up to those willing to grow and change toward a better life. We are committed to educating, inspiring, and ministering to this generation as we empower people to build lives of purpose.

The Jackson Corps Administrative Building
110 Presto Lane
Jackson MS 39206
Phone: (601) 982-4881

Catholic Charities
http://www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org

The mission of Catholic Charities is to be a visible sign of Christ’s love by helping those who are unable to help themselves; the poor and vulnerable, especially children, women, and families.

Catholic Charities Jackson
850 E. River Place
Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: (601) 355-8634

Wingard House
https://www.wingardhome.org/

Wingard Home is a long term transition home for the homeless and displaced of Jackson, Mississippi, and the surrounding area. We are dedicated to keeping the family unit intact. Unlike the “shelters,” Wingard Home takes a holistic approach to solve the problems of homelessness! At the Jackson Campus, we house married couples and parents with children together as part of our commitment to the family values that are so much a part of American life. Our mission is to get men, women, children and families off the streets, out of the government welfare trap, and working toward independence and financial stability. We offer our residents alternatives to gang life and the drug culture, and provide options to dependence on food stamps and government bail-out programs.

1279 N. West Street
Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: (601) 906-1976

Finding Housing

Mississippi Housing Partnership: 601-969-1895

Jackson Housing Authority: 601-362-0885 or 769-230-4164

Voice of Calvary Ministries: 601-969-3088

Legal Assistance:

Mississippi Center for Legal Services: 800-498-1804

For information on receiving governmental assistance to pay for housing, visit https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/about/fact_sheet or http://www.mrha6.org/mrha6.org/Welcome.html