Rent Assistance

Rent assistance it not an easy thing to find in Austin. However, there are a few places that will help.

If you are Lifeworks age, they will sometimes help with rent or deposits, if you are in case management with them.

The following churches help with rent assistance:

All Saints Episcopal Church, 209 W 27th. Call (512) 476-3589 first. Expect interviews on Tuesday morning. Expect that the can only serve about 30 people per week. The provide up to $25 assistance every 6 months. (Alternatively, they can provide work boots, prescriptions, IDS, birth certificates, glasses, and help with out of town bus tickets in the same amount every 6 months.)

Baptist Community Center, 2000 E 2nd, Bus 17 or 22. Call (512) 478-7243 for appointment. First month rent or utilities up to $25. No deposit assistance. (They also provide help with food, prescriptions, ID, birth certificates). Expect to need a photo ID, current bill or lease for address verification.

Caritas of Austin, 611 Neches St, Bus 1 or 101. Call (512) 472 4135 for appointment first thing in the morning, Monday-Thursday. Expect that the call line is very busy. It may take up to 1 hour to get through. Try for one whole hour.

Christian Service Center at University Avenue Church of Christ, 1903 University Ave. (512) 476-9584. Call Monday between 9:15 and 10:30 for appointment later in the week. Rent and utilities help up to $50. No help with deposits. You must have a bank account and have a legal lease.

St. Austin Parish Church, 2026 Guadalupe. Expect a walk-in lottery every Thursday at 9am to select 10-15 people. Limited assistance with rent/utilities. You need to live in zip codes 78703, 78705, 78722, 78751, or 78754. Bring lease or utility bill. (Also helps with IDs, birth certificates, glasses, or work boots.)

St. Ignatius Catholic Church (St. Vincent de Paul), 2303 Euclid Ave, (512) 442-0226. Call or walk-in, Monday through Friday 9am-1pm. (Also has a food pantry.)

St. Mathew Episcopal, 8134 Mesa. Call (512) 345-8314 Tuesday between 10am and noon for an application to be mailed. Complete application with copies of bills for limited rent or utilities assistance. Applications reviewed every 2 months. Help limited to one time per year.

University Presbyterian Church, 2203 San Antonio. Walk-in Tuesday 9:30 to 11:00am. $25 rent assistance once every 6 months. (Alternatively can provide help with ID, birth certificate, work boots, out of town bus ticket, glasses.) Expect to need photo ID and copy of rent agreement or utility bill.

Self-sufficient Grant: This one is pretty different. We haven't had anyone try this out yet. It's an organization that wants to help out a working poor person to make it! See their frequently asked questions here: https://www.modestneeds.org/about-us/frecuently-asqued-questions-for-applicants.asp. They have four grants types. The first it to help someone be ready for a job (e.g., recertification). The second is to help someone be self-supportive (e.g. rent, auto-repairs, medical). The third is a bridge grant, to help someone who has enough coming in, once it actually starts. The final grant is for vets.