RENT RIGHT

Working with Rent Right mentors, students learn what they need to get back under a roof of their own.Credit repair, budgeting, maintaining good business relationships — these are the real-life skills students learn and practice. Over the past three years, 89% of COTS graduates who took Rent Right found permanent housing.

Overview:

• Rent Right is a 9-week course that prepares parents and single adults for the successful transition to independent housing.

• Course topics include budgeting, credit repair, housing search and applications, landlord-tenant relationships and home maintenance.

• Volunteer instructors (including business, real estate and finance professionals) teach class sessions, while other volunteers mentor clients, provide meals at each class or help with childcare.

• Upon course completion, clients have a comprehensive "renter's portfolio" to present to prospective landlords. This includes a family budget, annotated credit report and letters of recommendation.

• Course graduates may also qualify for financial assistance from COTS in the form of extra security deposit funds, to encourage a landlord to rent to them.