Texas Tenants' Union

From September 4, 2020 to August 26, 2021 (with a short gap from Aug 1-3, 2021), there was an order from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help stop evictions for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19. The US Supreme Court overturned the order so it is no longer in effect. 

Rent assistance is available, and there are some other eviction protections. To find rent assistance, call 211, scroll below, and check for programs at https://nlihc.org/rental-assistance and www.consumerfinance.gov/renthelp.

Texas Eviction Diversion Program – The Supreme Court of Texas established the Texas Eviction Diversion Program (TEDP) through the Twenty-Seventh Emergency Order Regarding the COVID-19 State of Disaster. If you and your landlord agree to participate in the Texas Eviction Diversion Program, you may be able to have up to 15 months of the rent you owe paid and stop your eviction. ​Call 855-270-7655 or see the brochures below for more information. Even though the Texas Rent Relief Program is no longer taking applications, the Texas Supreme Court has continued the diversion program with other rent assistance through the Fifty-Third Emergency Order

• TEDP Brochure (English/Spanish)

• TEDP Brochure (English)

• TEDP Brochure (Spanish)

• TEDP Brochure (Arabic)

• TEDP Brochure (Chinese)

• TEDP Brochure (French)

• TEDP Brochure (German)

• TEDP Brochure (Korean)

• TEDP Brochure (Russian)

• TEDP Brochure (Tagalog)

• TEDP Brochure (Vietnamese)

Austin* and Dallas passed 60-day grace period ordinances to give tenants more time to pay rent. See fact sheets on Dallas ordinance in English and Spanish at https://dallascityhall.com/departments/fairhousing/Pages/COVID-19-EVICTION-FACTS.aspx

*The Austin ordinance has temporarily lapsed, but a new permanent ordinance is expected soon that will give tenants more protections from eviction. Here is the resolution authorizing the replacement law that is expected to give tenants the “opportunity to cure the default” (require landlords to accept rent that is paid late) before an eviction can be filed: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=375396

City of San Marcos – gives tenants a 90-day grace period to pay rent.

CARES Act –  Landlords of properties with federal assistance, including properties with loans backed by federal government, must give 30-day notice to vacate before filing with the court. You can check to see if your property has a federally-backed loan at this link.

The Texas Rent Relief program stopped taking applications on November 5, 2021. Check for other programs by calling 211 and at https://nlihc.org/rental-assistance and www.consumerfinance.gov/renthelp.

Find free legal help and additional information on our links page at https://txtenants.org/links/

US News and World Report spoke with the Texas Tenants’ Union for this article.

https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-tenant-rights-in-texas?src=usn_fb&fbclid=IwAR3tk3GNxPz3m4UgQReymHLRLwC0W5Eha3ZyxAa9PQfhcVIghVBIs__nByU