North Miami Offers Up to $4,800 for Rental Move-In: Eligibility and Application Process

The city of North Miami has established a municipal initiative that provides up to $4,800 in assistance for move-in costs for families relocating to rental properties within the city limits. Known as the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA), it is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This aid is a one-time grant—not a monthly subsidy or a direct payment to the tenant—that can be used towards the security deposit and/or the first and last month’s rent, with a maximum coverage equivalent to two months of rent, capped at $4,800. Upon approval, the funds are paid directly to the landlord.

In a rental market where one-bedroom apartments in North Miami range from $1,700 to $1,850 per month, initial move-in costs can exceed $3,400 just for the deposit and initial months' rent. This support can bridge that gap for low to moderate-income families, including Cuban and other immigrants with legal status meeting federal requirements.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, applicants must meet several simultaneous conditions:

• Be a current resident of North Miami or be in the process of moving into a rental property within the city.
• Have a household income at or below 80% of the Miami-Dade area median income as defined by HUD: up to $69,400 annually for one person, $79,300 for two, $89,200 for three, and $99,100 for four.
• Demonstrate financial hardship and the ability to sustain future rent payments.
• Not have received duplicative assistance from another agency for the same purpose, nor aid from North Miami's Department of Housing and Social Services in the past 24 months prior to the contract's end date.

Conditions of the Rental Unit

The rental unit must also meet specific requirements: it needs to be located within North Miami's city limits—this excludes Miami, North Miami Beach, or any other municipality—and pass a physical inspection according to HUD's Housing Quality Standards, as well as comply with the federal program’s rent reasonableness requirements.

Application Procedure

Applications are accepted exclusively online throughout the year via the city's Neighborly portal. They are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to fund availability.

The application process includes the following steps:

• Create an account on the Neighborly portal.
• Complete the online application within 15 days.
• Submit all required documents: proof of hardship or displacement, three recent bank statements, eight weekly or four bi-weekly consecutive pay stubs, federal tax returns, and W-2 forms for the last two years, and benefit award letters such as Social Security or pensions.
• Submit the application for review. Incomplete applications cannot be processed.

Once a complete application is received, city staff will review eligibility, inspect the proposed housing, and verify rent reasonableness. If everything is in order, a tripartite agreement is signed by the city, landlord, and tenant. The review process typically takes between 15 and 30 days.

This program is particularly significant given the context of South Florida, where Miami ranks as the sixth most expensive city in the nation for rentals, with a median rent of $2,500 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, according to October 2026 data from Zumper.

For inquiries about the program or application process, North Miami’s Department of Housing and Social Services can be reached by phone at 305-895-9895 or via email at housing@northmiamifl.gov.