Affordable Housing in Houston, TX

Houston housing comes through two separate authorities (HHA for the city, HCHA for Harris County) plus a statewide voucher program, and the entire homeless services system runs through one coordinated network called The Way Home. Texas has weaker statewide tenant protections than most large states — no source-of-income protection, no rent control, fast eviction timelines — so knowing which programs exist and how to access them quickly matters more than usual.

Emergency Help Tonight in Houston

• The Way Home is the coordinated homeless response system covering Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties, led by the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County. All shelter and rapid rehousing in the region routes through The Way Home's Coordinated Access — call 211 to start
• Star of Hope Mission — one of the largest shelters in Houston, serving men, women, and children with programs in spiritual growth, employment, recovery, and life management. sohmission.org
• Salvation Army Houston Area Command — emergency shelter, family services, and addiction recovery across multiple locations
• SEARCH Homeless Services — day shelter, case management, employment services, and housing placement
• Houston Police Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) — connects unsheltered individuals with services. Outreach workers operate citywide
• Domestic violence: Houston Area Women's Center crisis line 713-528-2121 — DV shelter access bypasses standard intake
• Cold-weather shelters open when temperatures drop below 40°F; the city activates additional capacity through 211

See our emergency housing tonight guide for broader guidance.

Section 8 in Houston: HHA vs. HCHA vs. TDHCA

Your address determines which housing authority covers you. Apply to multiple — you are not limited to one.

HHA — Houston Housing Authority (City of Houston)

• HCV (Housing Choice Voucher) waitlist is closed as of May 2026. The most recent opening drew nearly 69,000 applications
• Average wait once on the list: approximately 45 months. Plan for years, not months
• If you already applied: log in at housingforhouston SecureCafe portal to check your status. Important: HHA periodically requires applicants to re-register to keep their place — failure to re-register removes you from the list. Watch for re-registration notices and follow Lone Star Legal Aid's alerts
• Contact: 713-260-0500 · housingforhouston.com

HCHA — Harris County Housing Authority (county areas outside Houston)

• Serves Harris County areas outside the City of Houston
• Section 8 waitlist also closed in 2026. Check hchatexas.org/waitlist for openings
• HCHA also publishes a Homeless Help Card with regional resources for unhoused county residents

TDHCA — Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

• Administers a statewide Housing Choice Voucher program for areas without a local PHA, plus tax-credit (LIHTC) allocations across Texas
• Worth applying to in addition to HHA and HCHA: tdhca.texas.gov

Income limits for Harris County

Harris County Area Median Income (HAMFI) is approximately $96,400. Most Section 8 vouchers go to households at or below 50% AMI, with priority for households at or below 30% AMI. The Houston-Harris ERAP used an 80% AMI cap, roughly $63,050 for a family of four or $50,450 for a family of two.

For the national application walkthrough, see how to apply for Section 8 and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Houston-Harris County

The Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program is the largest active rental-help mechanism in the region. Since February 2021, the program has distributed more than $290 million to 73,000+ households.

• Houston-Harris ERAP — targets renters who have received a notice to vacate or have an active eviction case with a cause number. Approved households can receive: up to 15 months of past-due rent (April 2020 through now, no overlap with other rental assistance), up to 2 months future rent, and utility assistance for past-due electric, gas, and water. Apply through Harris County Housing & Community Development
• Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA) — Crisis Rental Assistance for income-eligible residents
• 211 Texas at 211texas.org — connects you to whichever community organization currently has rental assistance funds
• Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston — emergency assistance and shelter programs
• Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul — parish and corps-based emergency funds
• Lone Star Legal Aid — free legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction. lonestarlegal.org

Tenant Rights in Texas — Houston Specifics

Texas has weaker tenant protections than most large states. Knowing the limits matters:

• No state source-of-income protection — landlords in Texas can legally refuse Section 8 vouchers. Houston has no local ordinance overriding this. Plan to call landlords first and ask if they accept vouchers before touring
• No rent control — no statewide or local cap on rent increases. Landlords can raise the rent any amount at lease renewal with proper notice
• Eviction notice for nonpayment: only 3 days written notice before the landlord can file. Texas evictions move fast — read every notice and act the day you receive one
• Eviction process: after the 3-day notice expires, the landlord files in Justice Court. You receive a citation, the court hearing is typically within 10-21 days, and if the landlord wins you have 5 days to appeal before a writ of possession can issue
• Right to a habitable dwelling: Texas Property Code requires landlords to address conditions that materially affect health and safety. Submit repair requests in writing, keep copies, and follow Texas's specific repair-and-remedy statute (Sec. 92.052+)
• Security deposit return: 30 days from move-out, with itemized deductions. Bad-faith withholding triggers $100 + 3x the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney fees
• Quiet enjoyment, no self-help eviction: landlords cannot change locks, shut off utilities, or remove your property without going through court — see Texas Property Code §92.0081
• Fair Housing: federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. File complaints with HUD at 1-800-669-9777

State-level details: Texas housing resources. To file a complaint: how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Affordable Housing Options in Houston

• HHA Public Housing: apply through the Houston Housing Authority. Separate waitlist from Section 8
• HCHA Public Housing: for Harris County areas outside Houston
• LIHTC (Tax Credit) properties: thousands of income-restricted units across the Houston metro. Search HUD's LIHTC database or TDHCA's property directory. See how to find LIHTC housing
• Project-Based Vouchers (PBV): tied to specific buildings, often shorter waits than tenant-based HCV. Both HHA and HCHA maintain PBV lists
• HUD-VASH for veterans: referrals through the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing — through The Way Home for households exiting homelessness

Next Steps

If you've received an eviction notice, call Lone Star Legal Aid the same day and apply to the Houston-Harris ERAP — it specifically prioritizes households with notices or court cases. If you need shelter tonight, call 211 to be routed into The Way Home. If you're planning long-term, apply to HHA, HCHA, and TDHCA the moment any of them open their waitlist. Our Where to Start tool walks you through this in about two minutes.