How can a person with really bad credit history rent decent housing?
Having been recently evicted she is unlikely to find any one willing to rent to her at anything close to reasonable terms.  Any landlord that would consider it is likely to require a huge deposit. Her best solution may be a hotel/motel with weekly/monthly rates.  It is generally much easier to get someone out of a hotel/motel for non payment than it is an actual apartment with a lease and landlord-tenant laws.  But when you pay they take care of all utilities, and you can receive mail and register them as your permanent address for finding employment. Any other place that is willing to take someone who they know is a high risk for nonpayment/eviction is probably not going to be the type of place you want your children.