Apply for Rent Assistance

The application portal for the I Belong In Austin (IBIA) rental assistance program is currently open through Friday, February 7 at 5 p.m. The program is administered by El Buen Samaritano and provides financial assistance with rent, moving, storage, and relocation costs for tenants at risk of eviction. Check eligibility and apply for assistance at www.AustinTexas.gov/rent. 

The application portal will open each month while funds are available to allow for an efficient and equitable program administration. A high volume of applications is anticipated. If applicants are not selected and assistance is still needed, applicants are encouraged to reapply when the portal reopens. 

Looking for affordable rental housing in Austin?

Search the Affordable Housing Online Search Tool (AHOST) by entering in your household income and household size to view affordable rental properties. The Affordable Housing Online Search Tool (AHOST) is a searchable map and listing of income-restricted affordable rental housing within the City of Austin*.  

Each property also has detailed information that helps renters find housing that best meets their needs, such as: 

• Contact Information 
• Affordability Levels 
• Nearby Schools 
• Amenities 
• Communities Served
• Acceptance Criteria

*The AHOST database includes income-restricted rental units from governmental agencies (Housing Authority of the City of Austin, Housing Authority of Travis County, City of Austin, and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs). 

$6.7 Million to Help Austin Housing!

The HUD PRO Housing Grant supports communities that are actively taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing and the City of Austin has been selected! The funding will be used to further develop housing policy plans, improve housing strategies, remove regulatory barriers, and facilitate affordable housing production and preservation. The $6.7 million in PRO Housing Grant funding will be spent over six years, with $3 million allocated to gap financing for the Ryan Drive affordable housing development and acquisitions in the South Congress area, $1 million for developing zoning tools, and $750,000 for updating the Strategic Housing Blueprint and Opportunity Mapping. 

Visit SpeakUpAustin.org/PROHousingGrant2024 for more information on the grant background, goals, and objectives.

Austin Celebrates Affordable Housing Grand Opening of Balcones Terrace with HUD

Outside of a Balcones Terrace - Photo: Foundation Communities

We celebrated the grand opening of Balcones Terrace with Foundation Communities, offering permanent supportive housing opportunities to Austinites exiting homelessness. Located in District 7 at 10024 N Capital of TX Hwy, the development included converting an extended-stay hotel into a 123‐unit supportive housing residence for single adults. This new community is designed to provide permanent supportive housing for individuals exiting homelessness, as well as individuals with extremely low incomes and fixed incomes such as veterans and seniors. 

Balcones Terrace has 13 accessible (ADA) units, six hearing and visually impaired (HVI) units and both buildings have an elevator. Residents will have access to various on-site services and amenities, including case management, a food pantry, community room, courtyard, community kitchen, exercise room, computer lab, and TV room. Foundation Communities maintains a Balcones Terrace Interested List for single adults looking for permanent supportive housing at www.foundcom.org/waitlist. Potential residents can sign up on the Interested List at any time, and everyone will have an equal opportunity to apply for an apartment using a lottery system.

June West Creates Affordable Housing Opportunities for Families Across All Income Levels

Mixed-income community offers 80 modern units in North Austin’s Brentwood neighborhood

We unveiled the grand opening of a mixed-income community, June West, with Saigebrook Development and O-SDA Industries. The development consists of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom units serving families at 30%, 50%, 60%, and 80% median family income (MFI). Located at 1200 W. Koenig Lane, the 1.13-acre property also includes a children’s playroom, clubhouse with community room, cyber lounge, fitness center, and bicycle parking. All common spaces are designed for persons with limited mobility, and all units are fully adaptable and elevator served. 

Learn more about the June West community at www.junewestapts.com.

Imagine Austin

Check out the latest Imagine Austin Speaker Series! City Manager T.C. Broadnax and City Demographer Lila Valencia will discuss how Austin uses data to navigate change and plan for the future, covering topics like affordability, equity, and mobility. Moderated by UT Professor Jake Wegmann. 

This informative panel discussion will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the George Washington Carver Museum’s Boyd Vance Theater, 1165 Angelina Street. The event is free, and all members of the public are invited to attend. You can RSVP at SpeakupAustin.org/ImagineAustin. 

Share this Newsletter

You are on this newsletter list because you've partnered with us, reached out for resources, shared your input, or attended one of our events in the past.