The minimum length for short-term housing is typically a month. Emergency short-term housing can be for as short as a week. If renting for a normal landlord most will want a lease of as least 3 months.
You can find information about short term housing on the following website: http://www.rentals.com/. They have a lot of useful information.
Short Term housing is anything that is leased or rented for least than a 1 year contract. Normally this type of housing is arranged for a business who nees to transfer from one city to another or on a long term business assignment. Insurance company's use short term housing when a homeowner has had damage and unable to stay in the home until repairs are done.
There are several places to find short term housing. Craigslist offers listings in this category. Sometimes, your local newspaper will have listings for this online, as well.
A short term apartment is best www.newyorkstay.com
A couple of the best sites for finding short term housing are apartment guide dot com and corporate housing by owner dot com. There are more out there if these two do not suffice to what you want.
Short term housing is great for in between moves or when you are debating about your next move. You don't have to sign a long lease and are not tied to one area for very long.
If you are looking for short term housing because of business travel, biz-stay.com is a great place to start your search for a location in the US or anywhere around the globe.
Transitional housing exists to help people who need short term housing. The reason for this depends on where someone is in their life.
Some of the websites offering short term corporate housing in Chicago are Manilow Suites and Short Term Chicago. Both of these sites offer short term corporate apartment rentals that are available in furnished or unfurnished options.
Most apartment communities offer "corporate housing" with short-term leases on furnished, equipped units. You'll find a number of listings at www.shorttermrentalsla.com
An extended stay suite, hotel or apartment depending on your length of stay will be the best. Temporary Living Company, Home Suite Home and Mariott Execustay are companies that provide short term housing that are either furnished extended stay suites or will sub lease an apartment for people who need short term housing.
You can ask friends and family for help solvins short term housing problems, but it will strain those relationships. I would recommend against it.