god help: I am a mother of a little baby who needs help paying security deposit of $1,000 by Thursday, 20 Nov. - Help.com

Perhaps you can work out a deal with the owners to pay the security deposit in installments? Like 500$ a month for first 2 month? Maybe there are other apartments more in your price range?

Something else I thought you might consider. And I say this without knowing anything about your situation, sources of income, cost of living, etc.

Perhaps you should let go of what seems important (an apartment you really like) and think about the child. If the security deposit is 1000 dollars, that makes me think that the rent on it would be quite expensive and there are perfectly acceptable cheaper apartments that are suitable for you and your child. Where I come from (a province in Atlantic Canada) the law allows the security deposit to be a maximum of one third the rent. (part of why I think your apartment is pricy).

Look in the paper, the web, even local college/university postings. Even though I was on the work force and not a student, I went to my local university and looked at ads posted on bulletin boards (it turned out the most ads by far were posted at the library) and I found a basement apartment right in the capital city for 400 dollars a month, which miraculously included electricity and cable television on top of the typical heating and hot water. I’ll admit it wasn’t the nicest place (an obvious amateur construction, a sheet of plywood on hinges was my bedroom “door”, the stove looked like it was salvaged from world war 2) but it was acceptable (no pests, very clean, everything worked, safe neighboorhood). The owner did say it was intended for a student but was happy to rent to me anyways.