Apply for Rent Assistance

The application portal for the I Belong In Austin (IBIA) rental assistance program is currently open through Friday, March 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. 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. 

Check eligibility and apply for assistance at www.AustinTexas.gov/rent. 

I Belong In Austin Program Impact

We are proud to share the successes of the I Belong in Austin rental assistance program in 2024! Partnering with El Buen Samaritano, over 1,740 households at risk of eviction were helped with rent, moving, storage, and relocation costs. The program works directly with landlords and community partners to help keep families in their homes. Through this collaboration, the I Belong in Austin processed over $9 Million to assist residents most at risk of displacement. These funds are essential in providing a lifeline to those that have been affected by the growing pressures in some of the most established neighborhoods of Austin. It is hard to predict every challenge that families may face, but with programs like this, we can ensure that our families are treated with dignity and respect.

Additional Funding for Existing Project Connect Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) Partners

iACT Financial Literacy Program for youth

We are grateful to highlight additional funding for existing Project Connect Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) partners! A total of $10.9 million in support was awarded to eight community organizations, listed below. The CIS partners will continue serving Austinites with programs in three main areas: tenant stabilization, expansion and preservation of home ownership, and other anti-displacement measures. CIS is a multi-year collection of services funded through Project Connect anti-displacement funds to support Austinites and keep residents in their homes. These programs assist renters and homeowners who live within one mile of the planned Project Connect transit corridor. All 13 current CIS organizations were invited to apply for a second round of funding to continue programming; and eight organizations submitted applications outlining how they would continue program goals with additional funding and incorporate lessons learned. 

“Austin has a very unique opportunity. With public support and Project Connect Anti-Displacement funding, we are able to provide services to build the resiliency of Austin families in advance of the future transit investment,” says Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer. 

To learn more about these organizations and how their services can help you, visit www.austintexas.gov/communityinnovation and complete the inquiry form.   

Community Initiated Solutions Partner | Meals on Wheels

For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels Central Texas (MOWCTX) has been helping Texans by providing meals and a sense of community to older households. Over the years this grassroots organization has grown to become a Central Texas institution, providing services to nearly 5,000 persons in need every year and organizing the help of more 4,000 volunteers! 

As one of the recipients of the Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) award, funded through the Project Connect anti-displacement funds, they have been able to create the Client Assistance Program. This program provides case management and financial assistance (including rent, utilities, mortgage, financial education, and other housing expenses) to MOWCTX clients who are most at-risk of displacement and live along future Project Connect corridors. New programs such as this are essential to approaching and understanding the complex pressures our residents experience while supporting our communities. The program has assisted over 200 clients while still delivering care that empowers neighbors by promoting dignity and independence. MOWCTX has applied for, and has been selected for, two more years of funding. 

To learn more, visit www.austintexas.gov/communityinnovation and complete the inquiry form.   

The Future of West Campus

Provide feedback to the Planning Department related to University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) amendments for student-oriented affordable housing, livability, and mobility improvements for the West Campus area. Learn more about the UNO Update.    

Bungalows at Century Park Welcomes New Tenants

Community room at the Bungalows at Century Park where guests can gather and interact with each other. 

We are happy to announce the opening of the Bungalows at Century Park at 13311 Burnet Rd., on the city’s north side, in District 7. The new residence offers housing for single adults experiencing chronic homelessness and a disabling condition in Travis County. The opening of this community adds to the City’s growing roster of permanent supportive housing (PSH) and its goal to increase the number of much needed PSH units. Persons experiencing homelessness are identified and/or selected using a coordinated entry process required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and facilitated in Travis County by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). 

For anyone experiencing homelessness in search of a stable place to live, please contact Austin ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) for a Coordinated Assessment. Details and access information are available at www.austinecho.org/gethelp. 

For questions about Integral Care services and how to get started, please call the Integral Care Helpline, available 24/7, at 512-472-HELP (4357) or email at info@integralcare.org.

Affordable Housing Preserved Near the Domain through Austin Housing Finance Corporation Acquisition

A modern Twelve100 apartment. Credit Texas Housing Conservancy

The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) announces the acquisition of Twelve100, a multifamily property near the Domain and along the Northern Walnut Creek Trail. Located at 12100 Metric Boulevard, this strategic acquisition preserves and enhances affordability near major job and entertainment centers.   

Twelve100 includes 384 units and offers 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units. Applicants interested in the Affordable Housing Program at Twelve100 must meet income requirements based on their household size and the area’s median family income (MFI). This also includes verification of income, household size, and unit size. For more information, visit https://www.twelve100.com/affordable-housing/.  

New Affordable Townhome Community, Industry SOMA, Offers Homeownership Opportunities

Caption: Aerial Rendering by Mark Odom Studio; courtesy of Industry ATX.

We are happy to announce that 23 new affordable townhomes are slated to be completed this March. The new community, dubbed Industry SOMA, is situated in South Austin, near William Cannon and South Menchaca – at 1905 Keilbar Lane. The aesthetically modern townhomes are a collaboration between developer Industry ATX and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). Prices for the townhomes will range from $235,000 to $270,000, with the goal of providing the opportunity for homeownership and attracting and retaining families with generational ties to the neighborhood.  

Anyone interested is encouraged to submit general eligibility through the online form with Industry ATX. 

The Application Process 

To apply to purchase one of these townhomes, those interested should be prepared for a 2-step application process: eligibility and qualification.  After completing the general information form, eligibility is vetted by a local HUD certified broker who will reach out to the applicant within 72 hours if the information matches the income criteria.  The broker will then help applicants submit their personal and financial information and some key documents to a select group of lenders for pre-qualification. If pre-qualified all the information is submitted to the City of Austin along with additional paperwork for final approval. These steps can take about 4 weeks. Down payment assistance may be offered to certain applicants to assist with qualification, depending on the situation, which would add an additional 1 or 2 months to the closing process. The broker will work to ensure that applicants remain qualified until the homes are ready for move-in, currently slated for the end of March. Industry ATX is also partnering with locally based HomeBase Texas, to maintain the restrictive covenants for the homes. These covenants require that all resales and/or future buyers remain qualified at the affordable sales price or income level for the next 99 years, thus ensuring long-term affordability of the community.  

City Manager T.C. Broadnax Hosts Community Budget Conversations

Austinites are invited to “Your Budget, Your Priorities:  Community Conversations with T.C. Broadnax,” a series of town hall meetings hosted by the Austin City Manager designed to gather community input on City budget priorities. Broadnax will also discuss the process and the challenges of drafting the City’s proposed budget. 

Town Hall dates, times and locations:

• Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 p.m. – South Austin Recreation Center, 1100 Cumberland Road
• Monday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. – Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road
• Saturday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.– Learning and Research Center, 5202 E. Ben White Blvd., Suite 500
• Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. – Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive

Interpretation services for American Sign Language and Spanish will be available at the event. Services for other languages can be requested by calling 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 no later than 72 hours before the town hall. 

Those unable to attend the community conversations can provide their feedback by visiting austintexas.gov/budget. 

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