Ending My Lease - Unexpected Fees, Please Help??

Friends, I have never had to ask for help in this way before, so I hope you will understand that I have not come by this decision lightly.

I am ending the lease on my apartment in Michigan and need to be out by the end of this month (August). I can’t continue to pay rent on a space that I am not occupying. When I discussed this with my landlord at the beginning of July I was told that they would likely be able to find a new tenant, since there is a waiting list for the complex, and that I would then not have to pay the fees to terminate my lease. I’ve been informed that they did not rent my unit, and are now requiring that I pay them an additional $2000 by the end of the month. This is on top of paying for the car and camper in which my kitties and I are actually residing while I am working. I am booked for work through mid-November, and have been setting up additional business ventures and income sources, but they will not be enough to cover what I now owe to my landlord. I knew this transition would be a challenge and did what I could to set myself up for success, but as they say, the best laid plans…

Please don’t think that my asking for help will become a routine occurrence. Once I am no longer paying for two “homes” at the same time my living expenses will be reasonable and manageable. However, I cannot get over this hurdle alone. I am reaching out to my friends and loved ones for help in paying these fees to my landlord, to move my belongings out of the unit, and to help the cats and I get safely to my next job in Arkansas.

Thank you in advance for your kindness, consideration, and understanding. I am grateful to have so many supportive people on my side ❤️