Mississippi Housing Resources & Tenant Rights

Mississippi’s rules come from the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Miss. Code Title 89, Chapter 8). Two things make Mississippi distinctive: rural counties are served by eight numbered Regional Housing Authorities (MRHA I–VIII) rather than city agencies, and nonpayment uses a short 3-day notice — though you can still “pay to stay” by clearing what you owe by the court-ordered move-out date. Deposits have no statutory cap but must be returned within 45 days, there is no rent control, and complaints of housing discrimination go to HUD. This page covers the authorities to apply to, the tenant-law framework, and where to get help.

Major Mississippi public housing authorities

Mississippi’s structure is unusual: alongside a few city authorities, eight state-chartered Regional Housing Authorities (MRHA I–VIII) run public housing and vouchers across the rural counties. The Mississippi Home Corporation (the state finance agency) does not run vouchers. Key authorities include:

• Housing Authority of the City of Jackson (JHA) — Jackson, 601-362-0885; the Section 8 list has been closed since 2004, though other programs may open
• South Mississippi Housing Authority (MRHA VIII) — PHA MS040, Gulfport (with offices in Moss Point and Hattiesburg); administers roughly 6,773 vouchers across 14 Gulf Coast and Pine Belt counties; Section 8 list closed
• Housing Authority of the City of Biloxi — PHA MS005, Biloxi; waitlist closed and not scheduled to open
• The eight numbered Mississippi Regional Housing Authorities cover the rest of the state’s rural counties — find the one for your county to apply

Use HUD’s PHA directory and read how to find your PHA. For tax-credit apartments, search HUD’s LIHTC database.

Mississippi Home Corporation & state programs

The Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) (601-960-2000, mshomecorp.com) is the state housing finance agency. It allocates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, administers HOME for most of the state (Jackson, Gulfport, and Hattiesburg run their own), issues mortgage revenue bonds, runs the Housing Trust Fund, and offers homebuyer down-payment help. It does not administer tenant vouchers — for those, apply to a city authority or your Regional Housing Authority.

Emergency rent & utility help in Mississippi

• Community Action Agencies — MDHS-funded agencies deliver utility, rent, and mortgage aid county-by-county
• LIHEAP — the Mississippi Department of Human Services (601-359-4768) runs heating help and the Energy Crisis Intervention Program in all 82 counties; see utility assistance programs
• Dial 211 for the current list of rent and deposit funds, plus emergency rental assistance

Mississippi tenant law: key protections at a glance

Security deposits

Mississippi sets no cap on the deposit, but it must be returned within 45 days of the tenancy ending, with a written itemization of any deductions (Miss. Code § 89-8-21). Bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to your actual damages plus up to $200. Read how to recover your security deposit.

Eviction process & how long it takes

For nonpayment, a landlord must give a 3-day notice (Miss. Code § 89-8-13(5)(a)), then file a sworn complaint in Justice Court. A 2022 overhaul (SB 2461) created a dedicated residential eviction procedure (§§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-43); after a possession judgment a tenant is generally ordered to vacate in 7 days. Importantly, you can “pay to stay” — paying everything owed by the court-ordered move-out date defeats a nonpayment eviction. The whole process commonly runs three to six weeks. Get help from North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (1-800-898-8731) or the Mississippi Center for Legal Services (1-800-498-1804), and read how to avoid eviction.

Source of income & fair housing

Mississippi has no source-of-income protection — it adds no protected classes beyond the federal Fair Housing Act — so a landlord may legally decline a Housing Choice Voucher. Mississippi also has no state fair-housing agency, so discrimination complaints go directly to HUD’s Region IV office in Atlanta (1-800-669-9777). See our source-of-income protections guide.

Coastal, veteran & supportive housing

• Gulf Coast costs — hurricane and windstorm insurance on the coast has risen sharply, pushing up rents in the Gulfport-Biloxi area; ask coastal authorities about availability early
• HUD-VASH (veterans) — a voucher paired with VA case management; see how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Eviction prevention — our eviction prevention hub explains pay-to-stay and what to do before your court date

Nearby states

Comparing states or planning a move? Mississippi’s neighbors handle deposits, notice, and vouchers differently:

• Alabama tenant rights — a one-month deposit cap and a seven-business-day notice
• Louisiana tenant rights
• Arkansas tenant rights
• Tennessee tenant rights
• South Carolina tenant rights — a 5-day notice and no deposit cap

Where to get help in Mississippi

Tenant help & legal aid: two providers split the state — North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (1-800-898-8731) in the north, and the Mississippi Center for Legal Services (1-800-498-1804) in the south.

Discrimination complaints: Mississippi has no state fair-housing agency, so file with HUD (1-800-669-9777).

Vouchers & local PHAs: apply to a city authority or your Regional Housing Authority through the HUD PHA directory.

211 helpline: dial 2-1-1 for rent, utility, and shelter help statewide.

Next Steps

Not sure where to start? Our Where to Start tool maps Mississippi programs to your situation in about two minutes.

If you get a 3-day notice, remember you may be able to pay to stay — call North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (1-800-898-8731) or the Mississippi Center for Legal Services (1-800-498-1804) and read eviction prevention.