Question about rent increase?

I've lived in my apartment for 2 and a half years, now in a government apartment (highrise) and live in a small studio apartment by myself. When I moved in i didnt have an income so i wasn't paying rent and did community service. I've had two jobs since and they were only part time so i just paid a minimum of $50 a month. I was told that anytime i got a job or quit or lost a job to report it to the manager in my building but they've never went into detail until this year, when they raised my rent from $50 to $275 in a months spand. I've been working part time at Dollar General since April of last year and ive told my hours aren't always the same. And after i talked to them about my rent increase the landlord in my building told me they made a mistake in my file and that was rent was supposed to increase and that i lucked out. They told me i had this thing called HUD, and i recently found out the goverment shut it down in January and that's when they were going to going to raise my rent but didn't give me a notice until March. Would i technology still qualify for HUD? I have $375 for rent and owe $775. They told me even if i quit or lost my job they cant go backwards.