Quick answer
Texas rental assistance now comes from local sources. Dial 211 Texas to find county emergency funds and charities with rent money this month; apply for a Housing Choice Voucher through your local housing authority for ongoing help; ask about Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, which TDHCA funds through local organizations; and if you have children, request Texas’s once-a-year One-Time TANF crisis payment. The Texas Rent Relief portal closed on November 5, 2021, and Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance program ended September 30, 2025. Applying for every real program is free.
Key facts
- Texas Rent Relief is closed. TDHCA stopped new applications at 5 p.m. on November 5, 2021, after requests exceeded all available funds.
- The federal Emergency Rental Assistance program that funded it ended; ERA2’s period of performance closed September 30, 2025.
- Ongoing help: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) through local housing authorities, with waiting lists.
- One-time help: county and city emergency funds, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and church funds, reached through 211 Texas.
- Families with children: One-Time TANF, available once a year for crises like a job loss, through YourTexasBenefits.com.
Table of contents
Which Texas rental assistance programs closed, and why?
The Texas Rent Relief program and the Texas Eviction Diversion Program were the first statewide rent and utility assistance programs in Texas, launched by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in February 2021 with federal money. Demand quickly exceeded the budget: TDHCA announced on November 4, 2021 that it would stop accepting new applications and additional funding requests at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021, because requests exceeded all Texas Rent Relief funds available, as reported by the Texas Tribune. Applications already in the queue were paid out over the following year and a half.
The federal source is now gone as well. The U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance page states that the ERA2 period of performance ended on September 30, 2025; the program sent more than $46 billion to communities nationwide, but that money can no longer be used for new renters.
Watch out: the old TexasRentRelief.com address no longer answers, and look-alike sites now use the name. Any “Texas Rent Relief application” that charges a fee is a scam. TDHCA and 211 Texas never charge.
What rental assistance exists in Texas now?
| Type of help | What it pays | Who runs it | How fast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) | Ongoing subsidy; you typically pay about 30% of income toward rent | Local public housing authorities; TDHCA in some rural areas | Waiting lists, often months to years |
| Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) | Security and utility deposits plus a rental subsidy for a limited period while you take part in a self-sufficiency program | TDHCA funds local governments, housing authorities, and nonprofits through the federal HOME program | Varies by local partner; ask 211 who runs it in your county |
| County and city emergency rent funds | One-time back rent or deposit, amounts vary | County assistance offices, community action agencies, city housing departments | Days to weeks, usually by appointment |
| Charity rent funds | One-time payment to the landlord, often a few hundred dollars | Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, churches | Days, after an interview with your lease and notice |
| Homelessness prevention (ESG) | Short-term rent and move-in costs for households about to lose housing | Nonprofits funded by HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants | Through coordinated entry; start with 211 |
| One-Time TANF | One-time cash for families with children in crisis, usable for housing | Texas Health and Human Services | Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com |
HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants fund street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, and data systems through states, cities, and counties, which pass the money to nonprofits, according to HUD Exchange. The homelessness prevention piece can pay rent arrears for a household at imminent risk. Texas HHS describes One-Time TANF as money for families in crisis, such as a job loss or losing a home, available once a year, on its TANF cash help page.
Where do the big cities keep their rent funds?
Most current Texas rental assistance is run by counties and cities with their own budgets, so the right office depends on where you live. 211 Texas, the official statewide referral service, lists every open program by county; search “rent payment assistance” or dial 2-1-1. In general:
- Houston and Harris County: county community services and city housing programs, plus large nonprofits such as Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.
- Dallas and Dallas County: county health and human services emergency assistance and city-funded nonprofit partners.
- San Antonio and Bexar County: city and county emergency housing assistance programs.
- Austin and Travis County: county emergency assistance and city-funded tenant stabilization programs.
- Fort Worth and Tarrant County: county assistance offices and local charities.
Programs open and close as funding is spent, which is why 211 Texas is the first call. Our Texas emergency rental assistance guide explains how to work the local system in more detail.
What if I already have an eviction notice?
- Read the notice. In Texas, a landlord must give written notice to vacate before filing an eviction case in justice court, and you have the right to appear and respond.
- Get free legal help. Texas legal aid organizations and TexasLawHelp.org serve low-income tenants at no cost; 211 Texas can connect you.
- Ask the landlord for a written agreement to accept a payment from a charity or county fund and dismiss the case. Agencies pay faster when that letter exists.
- Bring documents: lease, notice or court papers, ID, proof of income, and the landlord’s contact details.
How do I apply, step by step?
- Dial 211 Texas and ask for every open rent program in your county: county funds, charities, ESG prevention, TBRA, and legal aid. Write down names and appointment times.
- Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher with every housing authority that serves your area, even with a long list.
- If you have children, apply for One-Time TANF at YourTexasBenefits.com and describe the crisis.
- Lower other bills: apply for SNAP (estimate with our SNAP calculator) and for energy help through the LIHEAP office finder at EnergyHelp.us or 1-866-674-6327.
Applying is free. TDHCA, 211 Texas, housing authorities, Texas HHS, charities, and legal aid never charge to apply.
For more specifics, see our guides on emergency rent relief by state and hardship grants in Texas.
Related guides
- Programs that help pay rent
- Immediate hotel vouchers for people who are homeless
- Car payment assistance in Texas
- Housing help: vouchers, affordable housing, and paths to owning
Frequently asked questions
Is Texas rental assistance still available in 2026?
Yes, but locally. The statewide Texas Rent Relief program closed to new applications on November 5, 2021, and federal ERA funding ended in 2025. Help now comes from county and city funds, charities, HUD-funded prevention programs, TBRA through local partners, and Housing Choice Vouchers.
Who do I call for rental assistance in Texas?
Dial 211 Texas or search 211texas.org. It is the state’s official referral line and lists every open program by county.
Can I still apply for Texas Rent Relief?
No. TDHCA closed the application system in November 2021 after requests exceeded the available funds, and the program’s federal money has since ended.
How much rental assistance can I get in Texas?
One-time local and charity funds usually cover a few hundred dollars to one month’s rent, depending on the agency. Housing Choice Vouchers are ongoing and typically limit your rent share to about 30% of income.
Does Texas give emergency cash for rent?
Families with children can request One-Time TANF, a once-a-year crisis payment from Texas HHS that can be used for housing. Single adults without children rely on local funds and charities.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on October 24, 2026. If a source and this page ever disagree, follow the source.
- U.S. Treasury: Emergency Rental Assistance program status
- The Texas Tribune (Nov. 4, 2021): Texas Rent Relief to stop accepting applications, quoting TDHCA
- 211 Texas: find local help
- Texas Health and Human Services: TANF cash help and One-Time TANF
- HUD Exchange: Emergency Solutions Grants program requirements
- EnergyHelp.us: LIHEAP office search and hotline (HHS)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. Program funding changes; confirm with the agency that runs the program. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.
Before you apply: program rules, amounts, and deadlines change. Always confirm details with the official agency or program administrator. Applying for government benefits is free.
National Relief Program is an independent guide, not a government agency. Spotted an error? Email support@nationalreliefprogram.org.
