Rent Assistance in Texas

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

Texas has no statewide rent program taking applications. Texas Rent Relief stopped accepting new applications in March 2023, and the state housing agency, TDHCA, says its money goes to local providers rather than to individuals. Help therefore depends on where you live, and some of the big city programs have shrunk or stopped.

San Antonio is the clearest open option found: the city takes applications one hour a month from residents with an active notice to vacate or eviction citation. Austin's I Belong in Austin portal has closed, Fort Worth says its emergency rental money is exhausted, and Dallas lists rental assistance as not accepting applications. In Houston, BakerRipley's current program list no longer shows a general rent program, so Harris County's programs and 2-1-1 are the places to start.

Where to Start in Texas

TDHCA Help for Texans

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs runs a search that lists local providers by city or county, including emergency and homeless services and long-term rent payment help. TDHCA says its funds go to local provider organizations, not to individuals, and that providers may be at capacity. If none has funds, it suggests checking with your city or county.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

TexasLawHelp eviction referral

Texas Legal Services Center's directory of legal aid for tenants, sorted by region. It also has self-help guides for eviction answers, appeals, lockouts and asking for more time. TDHCA lists this number for eviction help.

Visit website · Phone: 855-270-7655 · Accepting applications when last checked

Local Rent Help in Texas

City of San Antonio Rental Assistance Program (San Antonio city limits (Council Districts 1-10))

The portal normally opens on the second Wednesday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m., and applications do not carry over, so you reapply each month. For November 2026 the city moved it to Thursday, November 12, 1 to 2 p.m. The city states maximums of $3,500 for rent and $1,500 for utilities, for up to three consecutive months, generally once in 12 months, paid directly to the property manager and utility. You must have a current lease, a financial hardship in the past 12 months, income at or below 80% of area median ($56,350 for one person and $80,500 for four in 2026), and an active Notice to Vacate or court eviction citation. The application is denied if your landlord declines the funds. After you apply, you have 48 hours to respond to the city's first contact. Also reachable at 3-1-1.

Visit website · Phone: 210-207-6459 · Accepting applications when last checked

Harris County Community Resilience Rental Assistance Program (Harris County)

Listed by Harris County Housing and Community Development for low-to-moderate-income households at risk of eviction or homelessness. The county's page sends applicants to 2-1-1 and does not state whether funds are available now or give amount limits, so ask before counting on it.

Visit website · Phone: 2-1-1 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Harris County Eviction Defense Program (Harris County)

Free legal advice and representation through Lone Star Legal Aid, including before a case is filed, after filing, on appeal and in mediation. The county requires Harris County residency and household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. It pays for lawyers, not rent. The county's page does not give an end date, so confirm it is still funded when you call.

Visit website · Phone: 832-927-4955 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

BakerRipley Supportive Services for Veteran Families (Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazos, Brazoria and Waller counties)

For veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable who are unhoused or at imminent risk of losing their home. The page names rental assistance and security deposits among its services. It also says the program has reached maximum capacity and is not accepting new applications right now, so check the page or call for updates.

Visit website · Phone: 832-799-2714 · Closed when last checked

Fort Worth Community Action Partners (Tarrant County)

The Community Action Agency for Tarrant County. Its page says emergency rental assistance funding is exhausted and it does not know when or if more will come. It still lists rent, mortgage and utility help for Tarrant County veterans, plus case management. Online applications open on set dates and close once capacity is reached.

Visit website · Phone: 817-392-2276 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

City of Dallas Social Services and Support Program (City of Dallas only)

Emergency help for people in a temporary financial crisis, by phone intake Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. The city's page lists rental assistance as not accepting applications at this time and says it cannot help people outside city limits with rent or utilities. Call to ask whether that has changed.

Visit website · Phone: 214-670-8416 · Closed when last checked

Facing Eviction in Texas?

Per the Texas State Law Library, a landlord must give at least 3 days' notice to vacate unless the lease says otherwise, and for nonpayment may instead have to give a notice to pay rent or vacate. The suit is filed in justice court, with a hearing set 10 to 21 days after filing, and missing it can mean a default judgment. A tenant has 5 days after judgment to appeal. The landlord can get a writ of possession 6 days after final judgment, which brings a 24-hour notice to vacate. Lease terms can change the notice period, so read yours. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Texas Legal Services Center (TexasLawHelp.org). Statewide legal information and a directory of legal aid by region. Listed regional numbers include Legal Aid of Northwest Texas at 855-548-8457 for Dallas-Fort Worth, West Texas and the Panhandle, and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at 888-988-9996 for Austin, San Antonio, Central Texas and the border. Lone Star Legal Aid, which serves much of East Texas and parts of Houston, lists an online intake form there. Visit website · Phone: 855-270-7655

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

Texas Programs That Have Closed

You may still see these programs online. Check before you spend time on an application.

  • Texas Rent Relief: TDHCA's statewide pandemic program. TDHCA lists no new applications accepted after March 16, 2023, and says the program launched in February 2021 and closed in the summer of 2023.
  • Texas Eviction Diversion Program: A court-linked program tied to Texas Rent Relief. TDHCA says it closed in the summer of 2023 along with Texas Rent Relief.
  • Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance (BakerRipley and Catholic Charities): The pandemic program whose funds were distributed by BakerRipley and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. An October 2021 city fact sheet projected completion in early December 2021, and BakerRipley's current list of programs does not include rent assistance.
  • I Belong in Austin: Austin's emergency rental assistance. The city says it ran from June 2021 through February 2026 and that its application portal closed after the April 2026 period. Current funding goes to negotiated settlements and eviction prevention through legal aid partners.

More Help in Texas

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

Texas Rent Assistance Questions

Is San Antonio's emergency rental assistance open?

The city was taking applications as of this check, but only in a one-hour window each month. The November 2026 window is Thursday, November 12, from 1 to 2 p.m. You need an active Notice to Vacate or eviction citation and a landlord willing to accept the funds. Call 210-207-6459 with questions, or to check whether you already received help in the past 12 months.

Is there a BakerRipley rental assistance program update for Houston?

BakerRipley's current program list shows no general rent assistance. Its veteran housing program names rental help but says it has reached capacity and is not taking new applications. Its utility assistance covers electric, gas and propane bills, not rent, and that page said applications were closed and expected to reopen Monday, November 9. Harris County points rent seekers to 2-1-1.

Who helps with back rent in Houston?

Start with 2-1-1, which is where Harris County sends people for its Community Resilience Rental Assistance Program. The county's page does not say whether money is available now. If you are facing eviction, call Lone Star Legal Aid's Eviction Defense line at 832-927-4955 as well, because court deadlines in Texas are short.

Is Texas Rent Relief still open?

No. TDHCA stopped taking new applications after March 16, 2023, and says the program closed in the summer of 2023. TexasLawHelp notes that some local programs may still have funds, which you can look for through TDHCA's Help for Texans search or 2-1-1.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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