Search engine helps eligible renters find affordable housing

A new affordable housing search engine is making it easier for renters with poor credit or need subsidized housing.

Socialserve Housing Locator can be found on the Community Partnership of the Ozarks’ (CPO) website. Eligible people can pick ‘search housing’ to find properties in Greene, Christian and Webster counties.

For those who don’t have access to the internet, Socialserve can answer any questions at their bilingual call center: 1-877-428-8844.

Home hunters can see if pets are allowed if it allows smoking, where the home is in relation to public transportation and use an affordability calculator.

This feature is to rent apartments, houses and duplexes only.

“We’ve had over 1000 property providers list their available properties on our housing locator website, so that’s really exciting, and we’ve had some people already start searching for housing,” said Rachel Tripp, a community development specialist with Community Partnership of the Ozarks. “And we’ve gotten some positive feedback on that.”

There are also other resources to help potential tenants, including the emergency rental assistance program.

If a tenant is struggling to pay rent due to the pandemic, CPO will try to help.

“We also have other programs like we have making sense of money and basic budgeting series that helps people be able to learn how to budget and learn a little bit about money and their attitudes and beliefs around money,” said Tripp. “And we also have legal services available on-site at the O’Reilly Center for Hope to help folks with different student loan counseling and bankruptcy counseling.”

CPO also offers credit consumer services and asks those interested to set up an appointment with them.