Eviction Assistance Programs Texas Tenants Can Use: Legal Aid, Rent Help, and the Court Timeline

Eviction assistance programs Texas tenants can use

Each kind of help does a different job. Many tenants need two or three of them at once, so start them all on the same day.

The big pandemic programs are gone. Texas Rent Relief stopped taking applications years ago, and the federal Emergency Rental Assistance money ran out when its last period ended September 30, 2025. What remains is local and limited, which is why legal help usually matters more than rent money in the first days of a case. For the history of the state program and what replaced it, see our Texas Rent Relief program guide.

The eviction timeline after SB 38

Senate Bill 38 rewrote Chapter 24 of the Texas Property Code for eviction suits filed on or after January 1, 2026. The Texas Justice Court Training Center (TJCTC), which trains the justices of the peace who hear these cases, publishes the court-side materials on the change. The day counts below come from the enrolled bill. Day 0 is the day of the event, weekends and holidays count, and a deadline that lands on a weekend or holiday moves to the next business day.

That means an uncontested case can go from filing to removal in about a month. If you wait for the trial date to look for help, you may have only a few days.

Reading your notice to vacate

A notice to vacate is not an eviction. It is the step a landlord must take before filing. Read it for the date, how it reached you, and which kind of notice it is.

• Kind of notice: for unpaid rent, a tenant who has never been late before must get a notice to pay rent or vacate, which gives you the chance to pay. A tenant with an earlier late payment can get either kind.
• How it was delivered: under the 2026 rules, mail, hand delivery to a tenant 16 or older, delivery to a conspicuous place inside the home, or electronic delivery if you agreed to it in writing. Posting only on the outside of the door no longer counts, though a notice you actually received is generally valid however it arrived.
• Length: three days unless your lease sets a different period. Federally backed or subsidized housing may require longer notice, so tell legal aid if you have a voucher or live in public housing.

Keep the notice, the envelope, and a photo of where you found it. A notice problem is one of the defenses a lawyer will look for first.

Your day in justice court

Eviction cases are heard by a justice of the peace (JP), usually in the precinct where the home is. The citation lists the court, the date, and the time, and some courts allow a remote appearance if you ask ahead. If you do not appear, the landlord will usually win by default.

Under the new law, the court does not have to apply the full Rules of Evidence, so bring everything that tells your side clearly:

• Your lease and any notices from the landlord.
• Rent receipts, money order stubs, or bank records.
• Photos, texts, and repair requests if conditions are part of the dispute.
• A letter or email showing a rent program or charity has approved or is reviewing your application.

Requests to change venue or to have a jury must now be made at least 3 days before trial or 3 days after you are served, whichever is later. SB 38 also added a fast-track summary disposition that lets a landlord ask for judgment without a full trial in some cases, and court training materials describe it for cases against squatters. If your citation warns about a summary motion, you have only until the 4th day after service to file a sworn response, so call legal aid immediately.

Many cases settle in the hallway. A written agreement to pay over time, filed with the court, can keep you housed. Read it carefully, because under some agreements a missed payment may let the landlord get a writ without another hearing.

Appeals and the rent registry

If you lose in JP court, you can appeal to county court for a new trial. Under SB 38, you must file within 5 days after the judgment is signed, using an appeal bond, a cash deposit, or a statement of inability to afford payment of court costs. When filing, a tenant must affirm under penalty of perjury that they believe they have a real defense.

Two changes catch many tenants off guard:

• Rent into the registry now applies to every residential appeal, not only nonpayment cases, and no matter how you appeal. You must pay one rental period into the justice court registry within 5 days of filing the appeal, then keep paying each period on time.
• Missing a registry payment lets the landlord ask for a writ right away, without a hearing.

If you have a housing voucher, you usually pay only your share of the rent. The statement of inability can be contested by the landlord, and the court then holds a quick hearing. Legal aid can tell you whether an appeal is worth it in your case.

When a writ of possession is issued

A writ of possession is the court order that allows a constable or sheriff to remove you and your things. Under SB 38, it cannot be issued before the 6th day after the judgment unless the landlord posted a possession bond, and once it issues, the officer must serve it within 5 business days. The new law treats issuing the writ as a routine step, so it is hard to delay once the deadlines pass.

Until that writ is carried out, your landlord cannot change the locks to force you out, remove your belongings, or cut off utilities they provide to make you leave. If that happens, call legal aid and the local constable's office. If a move is coming, ask 2-1-1 about shelter, rapid rehousing, and deposit help. Our guide to second chance apartments that accept evictions explains how to rent again afterward.

Free legal aid across Texas

Three large legal aid programs cover most of the state. They serve tenants who meet income limits and set their own priorities, so call as soon as you have a notice.

In Austin, the city also points renters to the Texas Legal Services Center and Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas. In Harris County, Lone Star Legal Aid runs an eviction right-to-counsel effort covering the county's justice courts; see our Harris County eviction assistance page for its hotline and courthouse help. Law school clinics and tenant councils in large cities can also help.

City and county help in four metro areas

We checked official city pages on November 4, 2026. Funding changes often, so confirm before you count on any of these.

San Antonio and Bexar County

The City of San Antonio's Rental Assistance Program, run by its Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, was accepting applications on the second Wednesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. (in November 2026 the portal opens Thursday, November 12 instead). It can cover up to three consecutive months of rent and utilities, with maximums of $3,500 for rent and $1,500 for utilities, once in 12 months. You must live in City Council Districts 1 to 10, have household income at or below 80 percent of area median income ($80,500 for four people in 2026), and upload an active notice to vacate or eviction citation. Your landlord must agree to accept the money. Call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000.

Austin and Travis County

Austin's "I Belong in Austin" emergency rent portal has closed. The city says its current funding goes to negotiated settlements and eviction prevention services through legal aid partners instead of direct applications. Contact TRLA, Texas Legal Services Center, or Volunteer Legal Services, and for tenant rights questions the Austin Tenants' Council or BASTA. Travis County residents outside the city should ask 2-1-1 about county funds.

Houston and Harris County

We did not find an open city or county rent application at our check. The City of Houston's Housing and Community Development tenant page lists 2-1-1 and Lone Star Legal Aid for urgent help, and handles complaints about city-funded apartments at 832-394-6200, option 1. Ask 2-1-1 about charity funds such as Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.

Dallas and Dallas County

We could not confirm an open city or county rent fund on official Dallas pages. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas handles eviction defense in Dallas County, and 2-1-1 can tell you whether any local rent or prevention money is available in your ZIP code.

Using 2-1-1 Texas well

2-1-1 Texas is a free, 24-hour referral line run with the state and local United Ways. Dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905. To get the most out of the call:

1. Say you have an eviction notice or court date and give the date.
2. Give your ZIP code and how much you owe.
3. Ask for rent help, utility help, and legal aid, not just one.
4. Write down each program, its phone number, and what it needs from you.
5. Call back in a few days if nothing was open. New funds open at the start of months and fiscal years.

Families with children may also ask HHSC about a One-Time TANF payment, and veterans should ask about SSVF. Help with the electric bill can free up money for rent; our Texas utility assistance guide lists those programs.

Can an eviction be stopped once it is filed?

Sometimes. A case can end without a move-out if the landlord agrees to take payment and dismiss, if the notice or petition was defective, if you win at trial, or if you win on appeal. Paying the full amount owed does not always end a case on its own, especially if the landlord also claims a lease violation, so get any deal in writing.

Be careful of anyone who promises to stop an eviction for a fee. Legal aid, TexasLawHelp.org, courts, and 2-1-1 are free, and no legitimate rent program charges to apply. For a broader statewide overview of tenant rights, see our eviction assistance in Texas guide.

Related guides

• Texas rental assistance
• Texas Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program
• Texas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
• Gathering required documents

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines in your case may differ; talk to a legal aid office. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a law firm or government agency.