Rent help · Texas
Closed, per the source
I Belong in Austin: Eviction Prevention Resources · Texas
City of Austin program against eviction; its page says direct rent help closed and that it now pays settlements negotiated with the landlord through legal aid
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Rent
- What its page says it pays; the agency decides the amount in your case.
- Is it open?
- Closed, per the source
- What its page said on November 6, 2026.
- Checked
- November 6, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What help it gives
- Rental
Only in: Austin, Travis County, Williamson County, Hays County
Closed, per the source
Source text
Current FY2027 program dollars will support negotiated settlements and eviction prevention services through Austin Housing’s legal aid partners. A summary of what the program publishes; not a promise of help or advice. Funds, limits and application dates change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
If you are currently facing eviction, please visit Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Texas Legal Services Center, or Volunteer Legal Services. … Negotiated settlements—delivered through the City’s legal service partners—often resolve eviction cases before hearings occur or result in dismissals through agreements reached in court. - Income limit Ask for the limit for your household size
- Immigration requirement Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status Closed, per the source
- Where it applies Austin, Travis County, Williamson County, Hays County
What its page says about being open
The I Belong in Austin emergency rental assistance application portal closed in April 2026 application period. Read on the official page on November 6, 2026. austintexas.gov
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
The steps to ask for the help, with what the program’s page says. What its page leaves open is further down, in the questions.
See how to apply-
Look at another program
Its page says it is not taking applications. See your state’s other rent-help programs below, and get legal help if you already have an eviction notice.
-
Find who takes your application
Check the official page for how to apply: with City of Austin, Austin Housing or with a local agency in your area. If you can’t find it, call City of Austin, Austin Housing and ask.
-
Have your papers ready
Have your lease, the notice or past-due bill, and proof of your income ready. Ask what else they need and keep a copy of everything you hand in.
-
If you have an eviction case, don’t miss court
Don’t assume that asking for help stops an eviction case. Go to every hearing, tell the judge you applied for help, and look for free legal aid.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 5 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to City of Austin, Austin Housing.
What its page does not say
- What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
- Is there an income limit for my household?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- How many months of rent, or which bills, does it cover?
- Does it pay the landlord or the utility company, or me?
- How long does an answer take, and how will I know if I’m approved?
- Do I have to pay anything back, or can I apply again next year?
More rent help
Other rent-help programs in Texas
One more program we checked in Texas, with what its page says.
-
Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Texas program, funded by LIHEAP, that helps low-income households pay for electricity and gas, through local agencies in each county
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 6, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Talk to a housing counselor
A HUD-approved housing counselor helps for free or at low cost with your budget, back rent and your options if you face eviction.
Find a counselor (HUD)Guides to paying rent and asking for help
-
Renting
Emergency rental assistance: how it works and what to bring
How to get help with back rent or utility bills: who offers it today, what papers to bring, how long it takes and what to do if you have an eviction case.
-
Help and programs
LIHEAP: help paying for power, gas and heat
What LIHEAP is, who qualifies, how to apply in your state, crisis help when a shutoff is coming and free weatherization (WAP) to lower your bills.
-
Renting
What to do if you get an eviction notice
Notice, lawsuit and the judge's order: what you can do at each moment, where free legal help is and what federal law says about the 30-day notice.